Drake University Athletics

Katie Walker begins her third season at Drake in 2021 and owns nearly a decade of Division I coaching experience after helping guide the Bulldogs to one of best seasons in program history in 2020-21. 

That season she helped coach the team to a second-place finish in the MVC standings to equal the program's highest ever finish and best finish since 1996. The historic season also saw Haley Bush become the program's second ever – and first since 1984 – MVC Player of the Year as the sophomore hitter led the league in kills. Two other Bulldogs also earned first-team All-MVC honors that season.

Walker joined the Drake staff in January 2019 after a season as a volunteer assistant at Notre Dame where she actively assisted with the program’s defense and serving. She also aided in organizing the Fighting Irish’s recruiting efforts and team travel.

Before her season at Notre Dame, she served two seasons as an assistant coach at Seattle University. In addition to her on-court duties specializing with the team’s defense and serve/receive, she was the Redhawks’ recruiting coordinator and helped maintain the program’s budget.

Walker began her tenure on the Seattle staff after a season as an assistant coach at Middle Tennessee State and two seasons as a graduate assistant at Northern Kentucky. She also accumulated tremendous experience as a club and high school coach in Kentucky, Idaho and Washington.

A native of Kent, Wash., Walker played collegiately at Idaho State where she was a member of the Big Sky All-Academic Team. She earned a bachelor’s degree in human exceptionality from Idaho State and her master’s degree in education from Northern Kentucky.