Tim Walton
Encyclopedia
Tim Walton is an American college softball
coach and a former college and professional baseball
player. Walton is currently the head coach
of the Florida Gators softball
team of the University of Florida
. Walton is best known for leading the Florida Gators to four consecutive appearances in the Women's College World Series
.
in his hometown of Cerritos, California
, where he played for the Cerritos Falcons baseball team in 1992 and 1993. After his sophomore year, he transferred to the University of Oklahoma
in Norman, Oklahoma
, where he was a two-year letter-winner for the Oklahoma Sooners baseball
team in 1994 and 1995. As a Sooner baseball player, Walton participated in two consecutive College World Series
, earning a win in the Sooners' 13–5 victory over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
in the 1994 College World Series
championship game. He graduated from the university with his bachelor's degree
in history in 1996.
After college, he played with the Philadelphia Phillies
minor league organization for two seasons.
softball team of his alma mater, the University of Oklahoma
, for four seasons from 1999 to 2002. He accepted the head coaching position for the Wichita State Shockers
softball team at Wichita State University
after the 2002 season, and tallied a three-season win-loss record of 123–64 from 2003 to 2005.
After taking over the Florida Gators softball program in 2006, Walton has compiled an overall win-loss record of 331–80 (.805) as the Gators' head coach. All six of his Gators teams have qualified for the NCAA Tournament In both 2008 and 2009, the Gators won the Southeastern Conference
championship and the SEC tournament title. His last four Gators teams have advanced to the Women's College World Series
in Oklahoma City, with the 2009 and 2011 teams advancing to the championship final.
. The Waltons have two sons, Brooks and Palmer, and a daughter, Camden.
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
coach and a former college and professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player. Walton is currently the head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
of the Florida Gators softball
Florida Gators softball
The Florida Gators softball team represents the University of Florida in the sport of softball. The Florida Gators compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Southeastern Conference...
team of the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
. Walton is best known for leading the Florida Gators to four consecutive appearances in the Women's College World Series
Women's College World Series
The Women's College World Series is the final portion of the NCAA Division I Softball Championship for college softball in the United States. The tournament format consists of two four-team double-elimination brackets. The winners of each bracket then compete in a best-of-three title game series...
.
Playing career
Walton first attended Cerritos CollegeCerritos College
Cerritos College is a public comprehensive community college founded in 1955 located in Norwalk, California. It was named after Rancho Los Cerritos, a ranch that served prominently in the region in the 19th century...
in his hometown of Cerritos, California
Cerritos, California
Cerritos is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, and is one of several cities that constitute the Gateway Cities of southeast Los Angeles County. It was incorporated on April 24, 1956...
, where he played for the Cerritos Falcons baseball team in 1992 and 1993. After his sophomore year, he transferred to the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
in Norman, Oklahoma
Norman, Oklahoma
Norman is a city in Cleveland County, Oklahoma, United States, and is located south of downtown Oklahoma City. It is part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, Norman was to have 110,925 full-time residents, making it the third-largest city in Oklahoma and the...
, where he was a two-year letter-winner for the Oklahoma Sooners baseball
Oklahoma Sooners baseball
Oklahoma Sooners baseball is the NCAA Division I collegiate baseball team of the University of Oklahoma based in Norman, Oklahoma.The Oklahoma Baseball tradition is long and storied, with two National Championships in 1951 and 1994, along with numerous All-Americans...
team in 1994 and 1995. As a Sooner baseball player, Walton participated in two consecutive College World Series
College World Series
The College World Series or CWS is an annual baseball tournament held in Omaha, Nebraska that is the culmination of the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship, which determines the NCAA Division I college baseball champion. The eight teams are split into two, four-team, double-elimination brackets,...
, earning a win in the Sooners' 13–5 victory over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets baseball
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets baseball team represents the Georgia Institute of Technology in NCAA Division I college baseball. Along with most other Georgia Tech athletic teams, the baseball team participates in the Atlantic Coast Conference...
in the 1994 College World Series
1994 College World Series
The 1994 College World Series was played at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, NE from June 3 to June 11. The forty-eighth tournament's champion was the University of Oklahoma, coached by Larry Cochell...
championship game. He graduated from the university with his bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in history in 1996.
After college, he played with the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
minor league organization for two seasons.
Coaching career
Walton was an assistant coach for the Oklahoma SoonersOklahoma Sooners
The University of Oklahoma features 19 varsity sports teams. Both men's and women's teams are called the Sooners, a nickname given to the early participants in the land rushes which initially opened the Oklahoma Indian Territory to non-native settlement. They participate in the NCAA's Division I-A,...
softball team of his alma mater, the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
, for four seasons from 1999 to 2002. He accepted the head coaching position for the Wichita State Shockers
Wichita State Shockers
The Shockers are the athletic teams at Wichita State University, who compete in the NCAA Division I Missouri Valley Conference. Wichita State is well known for its fan support and its baseball program, which has the highest winning percentange of any college baseball team over the past 31 years...
softball team at Wichita State University
Wichita State University
Wichita State University is a NCAA Division I public university in Wichita, Kansas with selective admissions. WSU is one of six state universities governed by the Kansas Board of Regents. The current president is Dr. Donald Beggs....
after the 2002 season, and tallied a three-season win-loss record of 123–64 from 2003 to 2005.
After taking over the Florida Gators softball program in 2006, Walton has compiled an overall win-loss record of 331–80 (.805) as the Gators' head coach. All six of his Gators teams have qualified for the NCAA Tournament In both 2008 and 2009, the Gators won the Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
championship and the SEC tournament title. His last four Gators teams have advanced to the Women's College World Series
Women's College World Series
The Women's College World Series is the final portion of the NCAA Division I Softball Championship for college softball in the United States. The tournament format consists of two four-team double-elimination brackets. The winners of each bracket then compete in a best-of-three title game series...
in Oklahoma City, with the 2009 and 2011 teams advancing to the championship final.
Personal
Walton is married to the former Samantha Rhoten, who played basketball at Oral Roberts UniversityOral Roberts University
Oral Roberts University , based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the United States, is an interdenominational, Charismatic Christian, comprehensive university with an enrollment of about 3,790 students from 49 U.S. states along with a significant number of international students from 70 countries...
. The Waltons have two sons, Brooks and Palmer, and a daughter, Camden.
Head coaching record
See also
- 2006 Florida Gators softball season
- 2007 Florida Gators softball season
- 2008 Florida Gators softball season
- 2009 Florida Gators softball season
- 2010 Florida Gators softball season2010 Florida Gators softball seasonThe 2010 Florida Gators softball team represented the University of Florida softball program for the 2010 NCAA softball season.-Previous Season:The 2009 Gators went 63-5 overall and 26-1 in SEC play. They were named the #1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament for the second straight year, advanced...
- Florida GatorsFlorida GatorsThe Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
- History of the University of FloridaHistory of the University of FloridaThe history of the University of Florida is firmly tied to the history of public education in the state of Florida. The University of Florida, colloquially known as "Florida" or "UF," originated as several distinct institutions that were merged to create a single state-supported university by the...
- List of University of Oklahoma alumni
- University Athletic AssociationUniversity of Florida Athletic AssociationThe University Athletic Association, Inc. is a non-profit corporation that is responsible for maintaining the Florida Gators intercollegiate sports program of the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida...
External links
- Tim Walton – Official biography at GatorZone.com.