Hall of Fame

Shirley Walker

  • Class
  • Induction
    2010
  • Sport(s)
    Women's Basketball
  • Alcorn State
  • Shirley Walker at Alcorn State University was a legendary women’s basketball coach and one of the most successful figures in SWAC history.

    Who she was

  • Full name: Shirley A. Gibbs-Walker
  • Alumna of Alcorn State
  • Native of Bude, Mississippi
  • Longtime head coach of the Lady Braves women’s basketball team
  • Coaching career & impact

  • Head coach for about 30 years (late 1970s–2000s)
  • Won 493 games, the most in SWAC women’s basketball history
  • Led Alcorn to:
    • 12 regular-season conference titles
    • 6 SWAC tournament championships
    • 3 NCAA Tournament appearances
  • Honors & recognition

  • Inducted into the SWAC Hall of Fame (2010)
  • Received SWAC Alumni Lifetime Achievement Award (2014)
  • The basketball court at Alcorn State was named in her honor
  • Legacy

    Shirley Walker is widely considered a pioneer in women’s basketball within the SWAC, helping grow the sport and elevate Alcorn State’s program into a consistent championship contender.