Not every school can claim a living legend on its campus, but the students and faculty of East Tennessee State University can. David E. Walker, who most often answers to “Coach,” has been at ETSU for 50 years. During Walker’s tenure as head coach at East Tennessee State, eight different men have served as president of the United States, while ETSU has seen six presidents and nine athletic directors. Walker has been busy in his 50 years at the helm of the Buccaneer program, producing 30 All-Americans along with countless other track and cross country stars in the Atlantic Sun, Southern, and Ohio Valley conferences.
In 2006, Walker’s squad made some noise in its first season in the Atlantic Sun Conference, claiming the inaugural A-Sun Conference Men’s Indoor Track & Field Championship in Johnson City, Tenn. Five Buccaneers garnered conference titles at the indoor meet, with Walker adding to his hardware by receiving the Coach of the Year Award.
During his tenure, Walker has developed a number of world-class runners, including Kevin Johnson, a nine-time All-American; Seamus Power, a five-time All-American; and Robert Rovere a four-time All-American. Walker also coached Ray Flynn, who became one of the five top milers in the world; and Neil Cusack, the 1972 NCAA cross country national champion and the winner of the Boston Marathon in 1974. Since 1969, Walker’s men’s teams have won 22 conference championships, finished second seven times and third once. His squads have finished in the top-10 11 times.
During Walker’s illustrious career the ETSU’s women’s program has won three Southern Conference Championship titles. While he has been head coach, the ETSU program has produced All-American distance runners Kim Bird, Michelle Gregg, and Catherine Berry. Additionally, the program has seen the development of All-American Shelli Clendenon in the heptathlon and All-American Angie Barker, an Indoor NCAA Champion in the shot put. Walker has not only coached athletes with impressive track records, he has an outstanding record himself. Walker has earned some 20-plus Coach-of-the-Year honors and been named District Coach-of-the-Year 10 times.