NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk State University head women's basketball coach Tara Owens announced Friday the hiring of Malikah Willis and Lamont Walker as the program's new assistant coaches.
“I am very excited about the hiring of our two new assistant coaches because they are two individuals who share the vision of excellence and winning on and off the court,” Owens said. “Coach Willis and coach Walker have had very respectable playing and coaching careers and I look forward to them bringing their expertise in the post and guard positions to assist in our mission for success.”
Willis, a native of Long Island, N.Y., spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach at Elizabeth City State under Owens. Her primary duties will include post player development, out-of-state recruiting, travel coordination, and player conditioning.
“I am excited to be working with coach Owens again, as well as to be in a situation to help rebuild a program,” Willis said. “I am looking forward to the endless possibilities of competing in the MEAC and beyond.”
Prior to her arrival at ECSU, Willis had assistant coaching stints at the University of Illinois-Chicago (2000-2002) and at Chicago State University (2002-2003). She also assisted Owens at Cheyney University during the 2003-2004 season.
Willis earned a bachelor's degree in media studies and African-American studies from Iowa in 1998 and was a part of Vivian Stringer's "Sensational Seven", the University of Iowa's 1994 recruiting class that was ranked No. 1 in the country. A four-year letter winner for the Hawkeyes, Willis later played professionally for Color Cap Rybnik of Poland and Tapiola Honka of Finland in 1999 and Brazil's Santa Maria Club in 2000.
Walker comes to NSU after several years of coaching high school basketball. Most recently, Walker was the head girls basketball coach at Booker T. Washington High School from 2005-2007. The Norfolk native will be responsible the development of the backcourt players, in-state recruiting, opponent scouting, and academics.
“It is a pleasure and an honor to be at NSU because I grew up in the area,” Walker said. “I am grateful and blessed that coach Owens gave me the opportunity to coach at the collegiate level.”
In addition to coaching at BTW, Walker has spent time as an assistant girls basketball and football coach at Lake Taylor High School (1991-1993), and later served as the head girls basketball coach at Maury High School (1994-1996) where he won the Eastern District Championship in 1996.
Walker earned his bachelor's degree in recreation and interdisciplinary studies from Virginia State in 2004. As a member of the Trojans' basketball team from 1986-88, Walker was a three-time All-CIAA selection and was named to the CIAA All-Tournament team each of his three years.
