Danielle Walker enters her third year as an assistant coach within the Portland State volleyball program for the 2020 season. Walker came to Portland State after spending the previous two years as a graduate assistant coach at the University of Southern Mississippi, graduating with a Master’s Degree in Sports Management in May 2018.
Walker helped guide a young group in 2019, when the Vikings had seven freshman and eight newcomers on their 12-player roster. Freshman libero Ellie Snook set the single-season program record for digs per set with 5.47 during the season, and finished the season as the top-ranked freshman in the nation in the category.
Snook was named to the All-Big Sky second team at the end of the 2019 season, making her the first Viking freshman to earn All-Big Sky first- or second-team honors since PSU Hall of Famer Garyn Schlatter in 2010.
A former middle blocker, Walker also oversaw the development of Jordan White, who led the Big Sky Conference with 1.33 blocks per set before going down with an injury.
Walker assisted in all aspects of the volleyball program at Southern Miss, which advanced to the semifinals of the Conference USA tournament during both years of Walker’s tenure. Walker managed the recruit database for Southern Miss while also organizing community service projects and creating a new fundraising effort for the volleyball program.
Walker spent close to four years as a club coach in North Carolina before her time at Southern Miss. Walker served as an assistant coach for the 17 national team within the Piedmont Volleyball Club in Greensboro, N.C., from November 2015 to June 2016, after serving as head coach of the club’s 16 national team from November 2014 to June 2015. Additionally, Walker served as head coach of the Fusion Volleyball Club in Burlington, N.C., from October 2012 to April 2014.
Walker also served as the varsity head coach at the Westchester Country Day School in High Point, N.C., for the 2015 fall season.
As a player, Walker played Division I volleyball at Elon University, graduating in May 2015. Walker spent the first two years of her career at Elon as a middle blocker, before playing as a right-side and outside hitter over her last two years at the school.
