Joshua Walker

Joshua Walker joined Ryan McGuyre's staff in the spring of 2022, officially being named assistant coach on March 10.
 
"We are thrilled to add Joshua Walker to our staff," said McGuyre. "He is an elite-level coach and already a proven national champion. He has competed at the highest level and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our staff. He is very sharp tactically and will provide both offensive and defensive instruction. He has a passionate love for the Lord and understands servant leadership. His transition from the men's game will sync well with what we are already doing, as well as providing fresh perspectives and innovation to help us continue to improve. He has a beautiful family and we are excited about all of them joining the Baylor family."
 
Walker, a native of Virginia Beach, Va., comes to Waco after spending seven seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Hawaii-Manoa with the men's volleyball team, his alma mater. 
 
"Josh Walker has been an integral part of UH men's volleyball as a player and as a coach for a long time," said Hawaii men's head coach Charlie Wade. "He was a role model representative as a student-athlete on and off the court and has continued his contributions as a coach. He has developed a wide skill set as a coach, which will ensure his continued success as an assistant and when he becomes a head coach. He has worked extremely hard to prepare himself for future challenges, and we wish him and his 'ohana only the best as they embark on new challenges. I am very grateful for all he has done for Hawai'i men's volleyball."
 
During his tenure with the Rainbow Warriors, Walker accumulated a 155-34 record. He has coached 12 All-Americans as well as helped coach his team to finish top-five in the nation in the past six seasons, including four Final Four appearances and three National Championship appearances. UH was the 2021 NCAA Men's Volleyball National Champion after going 17-1 on the season and 10-0 in conference play. He and the Warriors went back-to-back, winning the title again in 2022 with a 27-5 record and 18-0 at home. 
 
He became the first UH assistant coach to be named AVCA Assistant Coach of the Year since the award's inception in 2010, earning the award in 2019. 

Walker was tasked with overseeing the academic progress of his student-athletes, which have received national recognition with a team cumulative GPA of 3.3 or above for three out of the last five years.
 
In addition to his coaching duties at UH, he spent two summers (2017, 2019) as a Southern California Volleyball Association High Performance Coach. Starting in 2021, he has served as a USA Volleyball National Team Development Program Assistant Coach for summer and winter.
 
Walker returned to his alma mater to start coaching with the men's squad under the direction of Charlie Wade in 2016 after his professional playing career.
 
For 2011-12, he played for Al Baniyas Sports Club in Abu Dhabi, then with the Panathinaikos Athletic Club in Athens, Greece, in 2012-13. Walker then played with Boldklubben Marienlyst in Odense, Denmark, from 2013-14. While in Denmark, he also earned MVP honors. In the summer of 2014 and '15 he played in the Premier Volleyball League with Team USA. For the 2014-15 season, he was in Oulu, Finland, with the Lentopalloseura Etta, where he was an All-Star in the Finland Volleyball League. 
 
Walker was a varsity athlete at Hawaii from 2006-2011, where he was an AVCA All-American and two-time All-Conference player in the MPSF. He finished his four-year career with 1,428 kills (3.91 k/s) which ranked fifth in program history at the time. He graduated in 2011 with his bachelor's in English from UH.
 
Joshua and his wife, Tehane Walker, have four children: Shiloh Ku'upuaihane Ann Walker, Kamanukilakila (Kamanu) Joshua Walker, Kupa'amauloaikapo (Kupa'a) James Walker and Keahi'anapa John Adrien Walker. Each child has a Hawaiian name: Ku'upuaihane means 'My beloved flower that gives life;' Kamanukilakila means 'Bird having poise that commands admiration;' Ku'paamauloaikapo means 'Having strength through the darkness;' and Keahi'anapa means 'Flashing Fire'.