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USC is just that appealing for a job — even if it required Greg Walker to go from a head coach to an assistant coach and move across the country.
USC announced Thursday that Greg Walker stepped down as the Sacred Heart head coach to become an assistant coach with the Trojans for the upcoming season.
Walker in three seasons at Sacred Heart guided the Pioneers to their first EIVA Tournament appearance since the conference changed the event to a four-team format in 2012. He also was named the 2017 EIVA Coach of the Year after leading Sacred Heart to the program’s third-most wins in a single season, including two upset victories against Penn State.
While simultaneously coaching at Sacred Heart, Walker served as head coach of the U.S. Men’s National Sitting Team. The United States under Walker qualified for the 2016 Paralympics and won the silver medal at the 2017 ParaPan American Zonal Championship.
“We are thrilled to have Greg Walker join our men’s volleyball staff and the Trojan family,” USC coach Jeff Nygaard said in a statement. “Greg brings international experience, USA volleyball strategies, boundless positive energy and an innovative mindset to the coaching staff. I am looking forward to getting into the gym as a team and benefiting from his skill sets.”
This will be the fourth NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball team Walker has coached since 2012.
Walker, an AVCA 30 Under 30 award recipient, guided Pfeiffer to the 2013 ConfCarolinas championship. In addition, he was the head coach at Alderson Broaddus and helped the program transition from a club to NCAA Division I-II status.
USC finished last season in sixth place in the MPSF but upset Pepperdine the conference tournament quarterfinals. Among the starters returning for the Trojans next season includes All-MPSF outside attacker Jack Wyett and MPSF All-Freshmen middle attacker Sam Lewis.