Jeff Walker

Coach Jeff Walker begins his fourth season at Crichton. After the injury plagued season in 2007-2208, the Comets were able to salvage an (18-14) overall record. During the 2006-2007 season Walker led the Comets to the 2007 NAIA Natioanal Tournament and advancing to the Elite 8 in only the teams second year in NAIA play last season. The 2006-2007 season was full of first's for the program. Along with making it to Kansas City, the Comets won both the TranSouth regular season and the conference tournament. Crichton finished the season ranked #8 in the nation with a 29-7 record. The Comets posted the most successful season in school history and solidified themselves as one of the premiere programs in the country. Coach Walker led Crichton onto the national scene two years ago in their 2005-06 inaugural season in the NAIA and the TranSouth Athletic Conference. With no returning players or coaches Walker led the Comets to a 15 game turnaround, a second place finish in the Conference, and a NAIA National Rating as high as 13 in his first season as Head Coach. Winning and Coach Walker are no strangers as he is one of the few coaches nationally to have served as a head coach on the professional, collegiate, and high school levels

Walker was the head coach at Grayson County College (GCC) in Denison, TX from 2000 to 2002.  In the 2001-2002 campaign, Grayson received the school's first national ranking when the Vikings climbed to thirteenth in the national polls and finished with a 20-10 record.  In his first season he led Grayson to a 17-13 record and a 16 game improvement over GCC's previous season. The 16 game turnaround was the biggest in all levels of college basketball.  This is the second time Coach Walker has accomplished this feat as his 1998-1999 Hiwassee College team posted a 20 game turnaround.  Following that season, the Hiwassee Tigers clinched their conference championship with a 22-9 record.

Prior to a very successful tenure at Hiwassee College in Madisonville, Tennessee, Walker was the head coach at San Diego Mesa College in California. In his first and only season with the Olympians, he resurrected the program and tallied seven more wins than the school's average. Before returning to the collegiate level ranks, he spent six years as the general manager and head coach of four professional basketball franchises: The Memphis Fire of the United States Basketball League, The Anderson Shockers of the American Major Basketball League, and the Mid-Michigan Great Lakers and the Huntsville Lasers - both of the Global Basketball Association (GBA).  In the GBA's first season in 1991-1992, Walker's Lasers finished with a winning record of 33-31 and placed second place in the western division. The following year he was hired to succeed Michigan legend and Basketball Hall of Famer Cazzie Russell as head coach of the defending GBA. champion - the Mid-Michigan Great Lakers.  During the 1992-1993 GBA season, the Great Lakers were off to a good start with an 11-8 record when the league ceased operations in late December. Walker was then chosen to be the first head coach/general manager of the expansion Memphis Fire of the United States Basketball League (USBL). The first year with the expansion team yielded them one game shy of the USBL play-offs in 1994. Their second season ended with an 8-0 record when the franchise folded.

Walker has coached twelve NBA draft picks, thirteen college All-Americans, and eighteen high school All-Americans. He has coached six players who have gone on to the NBA, and well over one hundred who have played professionally overseas. Additionally, he developed the Rookie of the Year each season he coached the USBL.

Walker's resume includes stints as an assistant coach at Middle Tennessee State University during the 2002-2004 seasons where his recruiting efforts resulted in two classes being ranked in the Top 25 nationally. "Hoop Scoop" ranked the 2003 class 23rd and the 2004 class was ranked 11th in the nation. Prior to MTSU, he was an assistant at Tennessee State University during the 1989-1990 season, and at his alma mater, Belmont University, during the 1988-1989 season. While at Belmont, their team compiled a 23-8 record and V.S.A.C. Championship.

A 1983 graduate of Belmont University in Nashville, Walker received a Bachelor's degree in Health and Physical Education, he played guard for the Rebel Basketball Team from 1980 to 1982. During his stay at Belmont, they won the V.S.A.C. Championship in 1982. He holds a Master's degree from Tennessee State University in Health and Physical Education, and has earned forty-eight graduate hours toward a M.A. in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary.

A native of Athens, Tennessee, Walker attended Glencliff High School in Nashville where he was a three-year starter in basketball and achieved All-City honors in 1980. Walker and his wife Lynne have a daughter, Gracie (21), and a son, Rex (16). The Walker family resides in Mid-Town Memphis..

Career Record

High School (31-21)                                                                                                            1988-90 Raleigh Egypt High School (13-13)                                                                        1990-91 Raleigh Egypt High School (18-9)

Collegiate (131-79))                                                                                                              1997-98 San Diego Mesa College (12-17)                                                                             1998-99 Hiwassee College (24-5)                                                                                       1999-00 Hiwassee College (22-9)                                                                                       2000-01 Grayson County College (17-13)                                                                              2001-02 Grayson County College (20-10)

2005-06 Crichton College (18-12)
2006-07 Crichton College (29-7)
2007-08 Crichton College (18-13)

Professional (31-24)                                                                                                           1992-93 Mid-Michigan Great Lakers/Global Basketball Association (11-8) *League Folded*      1994-95 Memphis Fire/USBL (10-16)                                                                                      1995-96 Memphis Fire/USBL (8-0) *League Folded*                                                             1996-1997 Anderson Shockers/American Major Basketball League (2-0) *League Folded*

Dee Wilkes – Assistant Coach
Office Phone – (901) 320-9742 ext: 232
Cell Phone - (901) 831-2139                                         
E-mail – dwilkes@crichton.edu

Wilkes came to Crichton during the 2005-2006 inaugural season and begins his 4th season as a Men's Basketball assistant. Prior to Crichton Wilkes coached at his alma mater, White Station High School. In his three seasons at White Station he led the Spartans to runner-up at the TSSAA State Championship in 1996 and 1998. Wilkes then signed with Hiwassee Junior College where he played for Crichton’s Coach Jeff Walker. While at Hiwassee, he was selected first team All-Region VII both seasons, and led them to the TJCCAA Championship in 1999-2000. When his Hiwassee career was complete he went on to be a two year starter at Middle Tennessee State University. Crichton’s Head Coach and Athletic Director Jeff Walker stated “It is an honor and a privilege to add Dee Wilkes to our staff. It is especially gratifying to have a former player,  wanting to come back and work with us.” Coach Wilkes will assist in recruiting, scouting, and will handle equipment and managers. On the court Coach Wilkes will focus primarily on the play of the point guards. Wilkes is experienced in Head Coach Jeff Walker's system having played two years for Walker while at Hiwassee. This experience will help ease the transition for a new program. Wilkes is well connected in the Memphis basketball scene and will provide valuable recruiting contacts. 

Matt Sanders – Assistant Coach
Office Phone – (901) 320-9742 ext:234
Cell Phone - (901) 831-2117                                         
E-mail – msanders@crichton.edu

Sanders came to Crichton during the 2005-2006 inaugural season and begins his 4th season as a Men's Basketball assistant. Prior to Crichton Sanders spent two years at Middle Tennessee State University. While at Middle, Sanders gained a wealth of basketball experience on the court and off the court as a manager for the Blue Raiders. During the last four months prior to coming to Crichton, Sanders worked his way into the Graduate Assistant position while finishing his Masters degree in Sport Management. During his first season at MTSU, Sanders' hard work and determination caught the eye of then Assistant Coach Jeff Walker where the opportunity to come to Crichton and begin his College Coaching career was found. Prior to Middle Tennessee, Sanders' coached at the Junior High and High School level at his high school alma mater Lighthouse Christian in Antioch, TN. While at Lighthouse Sanders' coached multiple sports, serving as the Head Coach of  Middle School Football, and Middle School Boys and Girls basketball. He also assisted in Varsity Basketball, Varsity Baseball and was the Offensive Line Coach of the Varsity football team. Sanders' is also a Veteran of the United States Air Force where he was selected to serve in the prestigious USAF Presidential Honor Guard. At Crichton Coach Sanders will handle recruiting, scouting, and stats, while also serving as the Sports Information Director for all sports. Off the court Sanders brings a wealth of knowledge of basketball operations, and on the court will be responsible for the play of the big men. Sanders' will recruit primarily the Mid-State where he has the most contacts.

A native of Nashville, Tennessee, Sanders is a 1996 graduate of Lighthouse Christian School in Antioch where he lettered in three sports, and finished his basketball career with over 1,000 points and multiple all conference awards. Sanders also played one season at TranSouth Conference opponent Trevecca Nazarene University prior to enlisting in the Air Force. Coach Sanders and his wife Tara have a daughter, Alyssa (8), and a son, Drew (6).

Melvin Wilkes - Assistant Coach
Office-(901)-320-9742 ext: 231
Cell- TBA
Email-TBA
Coach Wilkes comes back to the athletic program after playing for
the Comets in 2005-2007. During his senior season with the Comets, Wilkes led the NAIA in assists with 7.3 per game. During that same season Wilkes help lead the Comets to the 2006-2007 TranSouth regular season and Tournament Championships, while advancing to the Elite 8 in the NAIA Tournament.

Prior to Crichton Wilkes played at Jackson State Community College where he played for Coach Deron Hines. As a freshman in the 2002-2003 season, Wilkes led the T.J.C.A.A. and N.J.C.A.A. region VII in assists at 8.3 assists per game. As a sophomore he led Jackson State to the T.J.C.A.A. championship with a 22-6 record. In that campaign he average 10.3 per game and once again led N.J.C.A.A. Region VII in assists at 8.5 per game while being selected to the All – T.J.C.A.A. team.

Prior to Jackson State Community College, Wilkes played for the basketball powerhouse White Station High School, under the influence of Coach Terry Tippitt. During his high school career with the Spartans, Wilkes won two state championships (2000-2002). In 2002 Wilkes was name MVP of the State Tournament. Crichton' Head Coach and Athletic Director Jeff Walker stated “Wilkes is a great addition to Comet coaching staff and it’s an honor to have another former player coaching with us."