For Immediate Release
July 5, 2006
Contact: Sports Information Department
Walden Accepts Position with St. Ambrose University
Kevin Walden, sports information director and assistant men’s basketball coach at Knox College, has accepted a position as an assistant coach at St. Ambrose University, a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Division II school in Davenport, Iowa.
In his new position, which begins in August, Walden will serve as the assistant varsity and head junior varsity men’s basketball coach while also pursuing his master’s degree in Organizational Leadership.
Walden is a 2001 Knox graduate and former men’s basketball standout for the Prairie Fire. During his coaching tenure, the men’s basketball team has shown constant improvement capped off by a Midwest Conference Tournament appearance last season. He has also coached seven All-MWC selections and three 1,000 point scorers over the past 5 seasons.
“Kevin has accomplished so much during his years at Knox both as a student-athlete and as a coach,” said Knox director of athletics Chad Eisele. “He has done a superb job for us the past five years as a coach, as a recruiter, as an athletics department staff member and as a College employee. We’re sorry to see him go but also happy for him in the same regard. ”
Walden, a native of Peoria, Illinois, earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. He was hired by Knox in the fall of 2001 to serve as the assistant varsity and head junior varsity men’s basketball coach and in the summer of 2002 as the Sports Information Director.
"I am very excited about going to St. Ambrose University,” Walden said. “It is a great opportunity for me to pursue my master’s degree and learn from a program that has had great success at the national level. I will miss Knox but I am very excited about the direction the men’s basketball program is headed. I owe Knox and especially Tim Heimann a lot and I'm sure there will be continued success here in the future.”
The St. Ambrose University Fighting Bees men’s basketball program was 16-15 overall last season including a 9-5 Midwest Classic Conference record. Head Coach Ray Shovlain has amassed over 430 career victories during his 22-year coaching career at St. Ambrose including a 32-6 mark and a final four appearance during the 2003-04 season.
“Kevin has been big part of Knox men’s basketball for the last nine years as both a player and coach,” said head men’s basketball coach Tim Heimann. “He has a positive attitude, unbelievable work ethic, and great dedication to Knox. He will truly be missed.”
Founded in 1837, Knox is an independent, four-year, liberal arts college, located in Galesburg, Illinois, with 1,000 students from 40 states and 29 nations. Knox’s “Old Main,” a National Historic Landmark, is the only building remaining from the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates.