By Holly Weber, TTU Sports Information Coordinator
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee Tech head women's basketball coach Kim Rosamond announced the addition of Melanie Walls to her coaching staff on Tuesday.
"I am honored to welcome Melanie Walls to the Tennessee Tech family," said Rosamond. "I had the good fortune to work with Coach Walls at MTSU during two championship seasons, and I saw firsthand what an outstanding coach and mentor she is to the young women who play for her. Melanie is an excellent teacher of the game, and she is passionate about developing her players on and off the court. She has not only been a head coach for the last eight years, but she has led her teams to multiple championships. Coach Walls is a person of high character and integrity, and she is relationship-driven. I have known Melanie and her husband Marcus for 13 years, and their family, including daughters Brookelyn and Brylee, will be a great addition to the Cookeville community."
Walls joins the Golden Eagle family after spending eight years at the Gatewood School in Eatonton, Ga., where she served as an assistant athletic director, head girl's basketball and track coach, and high school math teacher. She led her basketball teams to a 218-23 overall record, six region championships (2010-13, 2015-16), and three state championships (2010, 2012, 2016). While at Gatewood, Walls was named the Region Basketball Coach of the Year six times and the AA/AAA State Basketball Coach of the Year three times.
"I've known Coach Rosamond for several years," remarked Walls. "I had the privilege to coach with her while at Middle Tennessee, and I have the utmost respect for her."
Prior to her time at Gatewood, Walls accumulated 10 years of Division I coaching experience. She was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Alabama from 2005-08. She was an assistant coach and compliance coordinator for Middle Tennessee State University from 2000-05, where she helped guide the Blue Raiders to a 99-55 mark during her five-year stint. While at MTSU, Coach Rosamond and Walls were assistants together from 2003-05. They helped MTSU capture two Sun Belt Conference Championships and two NCAA second-round appearances (2004 & 2005). In 2004, the duo helped guide the No. 13-seed Blue Raiders to one of the biggest upsets in the NCAA Tournament that season with a win over No. 4-seed North Carolina. Again in 2005, the tandem helped pull another surprising upset in the tournament when No. 12-seed MTSU defeated No. 5-seed North Carolina State.
Walls was a four-year, record-setting letterwinner at Georgia College & State University, in Milledgeville, Ga., and graduated from GC&SU with a bachelor's degree in 1996. She earned her master's degree from GC&SU in 1998 while serving as a graduate assistant with her alma mater. She began her coaching career with one season at Binghamton (N.Y.) University (1998-99) followed by a year at Indiana (1999-2000) before heading to MTSU.
"When I visited Tech on my interview, I was really drawn to the Cookeville community as well as the community on campus," continued Walls. "I have two young kids so I was initially drawn to Cookeville because it felt like a family-oriented community. Also, the facilities that Tennessee Tech offers are beautiful and will be a huge asset in recruiting. There is such a great history of women's basketball at Tech, and I'm excited to be a part of the next chapter under Coach Rosamond. I can't wait to get on campus and develop the athletes that are already there and continue generating success in the OVC.
While at Tech, Walls will oversee player development, scouting of opponents, and scheduling. A native of Eatonton, Ga., Walls is married to Marcus Walls, a successful high school football coach in his own right. The couple has two children – Brookelyn, who is 11 years old, and Brylee, who is 8 years old.
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