For Gilbert, VUU basketball already is a family affair

 RICHMOND, Virginia -- AnnMarie Gilbert has listened for many years to her husband’s tales of life within the Virginia Union University basketball community.

She hopes soon to be able to tell stories of her own.

Gilbert, a 46-year-old with abundant Division I experience, was introduced Tuesday as the Panthers’ new women’s basketball coach. Joining her at her get-acquainted news conference was her husband, former VUU men’s player Jonathan Walker. Gilbert and Walker met when she was coaching at Division III Oberlin (1995-2002).

“We went to the gym for our first date,” said Gilbert, a prolific scorer as an Oberlin player. “We wanted to see who would be the first to make 100 free throws in a row.”

She was introduced soon thereafter to the mystique of Virginia Union basketball.

“Over the past 13 years I don’t think a day has gone by — and certainly not a week — that I haven’t listened to (Walker) talk about Virginia Union and how special it is and how much being here and playing here feels like being part of a family,” she said.

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