DON OF A
THE COACHES
HEAD COACH REX WALTERS
FULL NAME
Third Year (Kansas, 1993)
A DON OF A NEW ERA
Rex Andrew Walters BORN Omaha, Nebraska FAMILY
A new era began April 7, 2008 when the University of San Francisco named Rex Walters head coach of the men’s basketball program. The former Kansas star and NBA veteran hit the ground running and entering his third season on the Hilltop, every player on the 2010-11 roster was recruited to USF by Walters and his coaching staff. San Francisco has added talented size and versatile perimeter players from outstanding prep programs and all look prepared to follow Walters’ challenge: Play hard. Play smart. Play together. UPPER ECHELON FINISH HIGHLIGHTS YEAR TWO
Wife, Deanna; five children: Addison (14), Drew (12), Riley (9) Gunner (7), and Ace Jordan (2) EDUCATION B.S. Education - Kansas, (1993) Piedmont High School (San Jose, CA) PLAYING HISTORY Kansas (1991-93) Northwestern (1988-90) COACHING STOPS DIVISION 1 USF, (2008-present) Florida Atlantic, (2006-08) Florida Atlantic (2005-06) Valparaiso (2003-05) HIGH SCHOOL Blue Valley Northwest High School (2002-03)
San Francisco made strides during the second year of its rebuilding process under Coach Walters. After opening the season with back-to-back home wins, the Dons struggled through a stretch where it played nine of 12 nonconference games on the road. USF showed its resiliency by posting a solid showing in a much-improved West Coast Conference. The Green and Gold opened the league campaign with a 2-1 record with wins against San Diego and at eventual postseason participant Loyola Marymount. USF closed the league campaign on a tear, winning four of five highlighted by a thrilling 81-77 overtime upset victory against No. 13/8 Gonzaga. The Dons seized a 72-70 road overtime win at San Diego the next time out and then swept the final homestand of the year against the Lions and Pepperdine. San Francisco posted its third and final overtime triumph in a 71-68 cliffhanger at ancient Bay Area rival Santa Clara. San Francisco posted its best league record (7-7) and finish (fourth) since 2007. Other improvements under Walters in year two included increases in scoring (+2.8), field goal percentage (.447 vs. .433 in 2008-09) and rebounding (+3.9). MAKING STRIDES IN YEAR ONE In his first season at USF, Walters took over a full blown rebuilding project with just six returning letter-winners and two starters returning. Despite the challenges, Walters directed the Dons to a 5-1 start - the best for the Green and Gold since 1999-00 - and directed USF to its first winning non-conference season since 2004-05. Along the way, San Francisco won the 2008 Verizon Wireless Tipoff Classic and defeated two conference champions - Boise State (WAC) and UC Santa Barbara (Big West). The road victory by the Dons at Hawaii was the first non-conference true road triumph since the 2005-06 campaign and the first win against the Rainbow Warriors since 1988. With the win in the Islands, Walters became the first Dons boss to win his coaching debut since Jim Brovelli in 1985.
“I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to return to the Bay Area and coach at a world class university in an outstanding conference. The University of San Francisco has a tremendous legacy of achievement on and off the court.” - Rex Walters
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2010-11 UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO MEN’S BASKETBALL ALMANAC