Dale Walker Position: Director of Golf Operations Season at SDSU: Ninth Overall

Dale Walker is entering his ninth year at San Diego State and his third as the Director of Golf Operations. Walker was the Aztecs' head men's golf coach from 2000-03.

In 2003, Walker left San Diego State to pursue other business opportunities. It wouldn't be long, however, before he returned.

Walker returned to San Diego State in the fall of 2004 to become the Director of Golf Operations for men's golf. He currently holds the same title for the women's golf program as well. Walker's main effort is the creation of a booster group to raise funds for both programs' endowment fund.

With a new NCAA rule allowing for two on-course coaches, Walker assumed the responsibility of becoming the second men's golf coach in 2007. Walker helped the student-athletes with on-course management and team practice drills, as well as team travel.

Under Walker's guidance last year, the Aztecs had one of their best seasons since 1982 and their best showing at the NCAA Championships with their 14th-place finish.

Walker also helped a pair of athletes in Aaron Goldberg and David Palm earn All-America accolades. In addition, Matt Hoffenberg was named Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year, while Johan Carlsson joined the aforementioned trio as all-Southwest Region honorees.

A former San Diego State golfer, Walker took the helm of the Aztec men's golf program just prior to the 2000-01 campaign, and the Aztecs hardly missed a beat.

Walker guided San Diego State to eight, top-three finishes, including four team titles, during his inaugural campaign. The Aztecs also placed second at the MWC championships, advanced to the NCAA West Regional, and were ranked in Golfweek's top 25 throughout the season in 2000-01.

In 2001-02, SDSU began the spring with three consecutive team titles in a season that totaled nine, top-five results. Walker and the Aztecs fell just shy of advancing to the NCAA championships, falling in a playoff to Texas Tech for the final berth out of the West regional.

A year later, the Aztecs had a solid 2002-03 campaign, highlighted by a first-place finish at the 2002 Barona Collegiate Cup and in the spring, returned to the NCAA Championships, its first appearance since 1984.

Driven by his goal to make San Diego State golf the premier program on the West Coast, Walker developed a knack for driving his players to be the most well-prepared participants in each event. To accomplish this, he has relied on his past experience at both the collegiate and professional levels, which has allowed him to offer his expertise to Aztec golfers with the mechanics of their swing, as well as the mental aspect of competition.

Walker's vision, however, is not limited to the course. He has been the driving force behind the San Diego State Golf Association whose purpose is to provide the financial and human resources to ensure a successful future for San Diego State golf.

Walker's aim is to raise $5 million for the men's and women's golf programs, an endowment that would make each program self-funding.

Walker is the father of two sons, Colton and Carson. In his free time, he enjoys running every day, white-water river rafting and riding dirt bikes with his kids and, of course, playing golf.