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Two years ago, Kissy Walker stepped down as the Husson College women’s basketball coach to pursue her master’s degree and assume new duties at the Bangor school.
In the meantime, she realized how much she missed coaching.
Husson Dean of Education James Doughty announced Monday that Walker will return to the sidelines at Newman Gym and take over the women’s basketball team.
Walker replaces Harold Williams, who guided the Braves to a 19-32 record the last two winters.
“He had a one-year contract. He completed that contract and now we’ve decided to go in another direction,” said Husson spokeswoman Julie Green. “We feel that this is the best move for the program.”
Williams could not be reached for comment.
Walker is looking forward to the challenge of coaching Husson in its transition from the Sunrise Conference to the North Atlantic Conference.
“I missed coaching,” Walker said. “The opportunity has presented itself for me to return to coaching and I’ve decided to take it.”
Walker, 39, directed Husson to a 235-95 record and four trips to the NAIA Division II National Tournament, including an unprecedented berth in the NAIA Final Four in 1993, during her initial 12 seasons.
She gave up coaching in 2001 to concentrate on her professional duties, which included her present jobs as the education clinical coordinator and a teacher at Husson. She is close to completing her master’s degree program.
Walker also has been busy on the home front, where she is the foster mother to a 2-year-old boy she is trying to adopt. Balancing her career and motherhood may be her most difficult challenge.
She said the experience and enthusiasm of assistant coaches Randy Dodge and Jamel Brown-Jones will make her task much easier.
“I really enjoy the people that I work with and that was a big part of it, too,” Walker said. “I’m kind of looking at it like, if I’m going to do this, I’m going to have fun.”
Walker actually returned to the team last season as an assistant coach.
Williams encountered difficulties last fall when nine of the 10 returning players elected not to play at the start of the season. He conceded there may have been philosophical differences between him and some of the players.
Williams later admitted part of the problem stemmed from a lack of communication.
Husson helped lessen the tension a month later when Doughty asked Walker to return to the team as an assistant coach. As a result, five of the defectors agreed to return.
“One of the real nice things was I didn’t have all the pressure on me,” she said. “Being in a different role was something I felt might help me out.”
Walker, who lauded Williams’ recruiting efforts, said last season’s experience should help smooth the transition.
Bears have eyes on baseball draft
Mike Collar of Scarborough and Mike MacDonald of Camden likely will remain near their telephones starting today as Major League Baseball conducts its 2003 amateur draft.
The two righthanded pitchers, who have been instrumental in the University of Maine’s success the last three seasons, are among the players being considered for the two-day draft.
UMaine coach Paul Kostacopoulos said it’s difficult to know whether either player might be drafted.
“They’re the two guys [scouts] showed the most interest in as far as asking when they were pitching,” Kostacopoulos said. “The draft is a tricky thing, so I’m careful about speculating.”
Collar, a 6-foot-3, 210-pounder, may have a slightly better shot at getting drafted. He posted an 8-3 record this spring with a 3.25 earned run average. He struck out a league-high 98 and walked only 10 in 83 innings.
Collar throws a fastball that’s consistently clocked at 88 mph and also utilizes a good slider and a changeup. In three seasons, he is 24-7 with a 3.73 ERA, 213 strikeouts and 47 walks in 229 innings.
MacDonald, a 6-foot, 190-pounder, is coming off a strong 7-5 campaign with a 3.28 ERA. He struck out 82 and walked 17 in 82 1/3 innings, taking advantage of a fastball that flirts with 90 mph, a curveball and a changeup.
For his career, MacDonald is 19-10 with a 3.46 ERA, 193 strikeouts and 59 walks in 221 innings.
Kostacopoulos said his role today and tomorrow will be as a sounding board for either player if the scouts come calling.
“I’m really here just to listen,” he said. “If they get drafted, I’ll tell them I’m proud of them. I just make them think and help them be sure if it’s what they want to do – whether they stay or go.”
Connecticut baseball job open
The University of Connecticut is looking for a head baseball coach after the resignation recently of 24-year coach Andy Baylock.
With his tremendous successes at Providence and most recently at UMaine, Connecticut native Paul Kostacopoulos might appear a good candidate for the UConn position.
“I have not applied and they have not contacted me,” Kostacopoulos said Monday. “I’ve got a great job here.”
Kostacopoulos, who has led UMaine to a 215-155 record and an America East championship in his seven seasons, said he has worked hard to rebuild the Black Bear program.
“I think we’ve got this thing going pretty good,” Kostacopoulos said of his program, which boasts a 114-50 record (.695) the last three seasons. “You do all the work to get to a point where you think you can be a regional contender and it takes a lot of time, effort and passion.”
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