Jim Walters enters his second year as the men’s and women’s track & field and cross country head coach. Prior to being named head coach in 2008, Walters served as the assistant coach for six years.
In six seasons as assistant with the Knights cross country teams, Walters helped guide the St. Andrews men’s team to it’s first-ever conference title in 2005 and first-ever Southeast Region crown in 2006, as well as helping coach the ‘05 and ‘06 men’s team to NCAA National Championship appearances.
As head coach in 2008, Walters led the men’s team to a conference championship and a sixth place Regional finish. Walters was also selected as the 2008 Conference Carolinas Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year. The women’s cross country program finished a strong fifth at the conference championship and twelfth at the NCAA Southeast Regionals.
Since 2002, when Walters began his tenure at St. Andrews, the men’s team has produced 18 All-Conference runners, ten All-Region runners and eight Runners of the Week.
On the women’s side, Walters has coached 18 conference Runners of the Week, ten All-Conference runners, and four All-Region runners.
Walters has proudly coached All-Academic individuals and teams on either the women’s or men’s side in each of his seven seasons with SAPC. He has assisted in directing 18 Individual Academic All-Americans and five Academic All-American Teams, including the 2004 women’s team being ranked fourth in the nation with a 3.71 team GPA. In addition, during the 2008/2009 academic year, 20 of the team’s athletes have earned the distinction of being named to the Conference Carolinas Presidential Honor Roll.
Coach Walters also helped Mitch Cooper and Alyson Trovato qualify for the 2007 and 2008 National Championships as individuals. Cooper also was crowned the 2006 and 2008 Conference Carolinas Runner of the Year and Trovato became the first Lady Knight to ever qualify for the National Championship.
In 2005 Walters also started serving as an assistant with the newly established Track & Field program at St. Andrews. The 2009 Knights track & field teams produced 6 individual conference champions with the men’s team placing third and the women’s team placing sixth at the Inaugural Track and Field Conference Championships.
Walters, a Scotland County native, is a lifelong runner. His running and racing experience extends to various open levels, including half-marathons, marathons, and adventure races. Walters is a certified Level I United States Track & Field coach in all event areas and is a certified Level II USATF coach specializing in all throwing events. In January, Walters attended the prestigious 2009 National Distance Summit.
A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, Walters has a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education and a Master of Arts degree in Exercise Science. Aside from his coaching duties, Walters is a visiting faculty member in the sports studies department.
Walters resides in Laurinburg with his wife Lynn, and their son, Chris. |