North Carolina Central University Women's Track

Walker, an alumnus and former All-American sprinter at North Carolina Central University, was announced as the Director of Mens and Womens Track & Field/Cross Country at NCCU on August 24, 2016.   As a coach who specializes in sprints, hurdles and relays with a strong recruiting background, Walker accumulated 13 years of coaching experience, including 11 seasons at NCCU, before taking over the program at his alma mater.   During his 11-year assistant coaching tenure at NCCU, Walker worked with student-athletes that earned 11 NCAA Division II All-America awards, including two All-American relay teams, and 41 all-conference honors, including eight all-conference relay squads, with one winning a conference championship. Among the three NCAA Division I East Region qualifiers under his tutelage during that time, he also recruited and coached a Lady Eagle sprinter who ranked fourth in the nation in the 200-meter dash in 2013.   My vision is clear myself and the coaching staff will teach, mold and guide our student-athletes with passion and a belief in success, Walker said. While fostering an unforgettable team experience, we will be strategic in our recruiting and establish student-athlete development along with national and international success as the cornerstones of our program.   A native of Raleigh, North Carolina, Walker started his coaching career in 2003 at NCCU, returning to his alma mater as a volunteer assistant coach from 2003-2005.   After two successful seasons at NCCU, Walker left to become the Head Track & Field Coach for both boy's and girl's programs at Needham B. Broughton High School, his alma mater located in Raleigh, North Carolina. While there, he coached a program that had athletes who broke three school records, numerous state qualifiers and one state champion. He also led the Broughton Caps to one of its more successful seasons in recent years.   Walker returned to the NCCU coaching staff in 2007 as a full-time assistant coach with both men's and women's teams, aiding in the transition from Division II to Division I competition. The following year, he earned the position as Assistant Head Coach of the mens and womens track & field/cross country program.   In late February 2016, Walker was named interim head coach prior to the start of the outdoor track & field season. Under his direction, the student-athletes achieved inspiring results. The mens and womens teams combined for seven event victories in the first meet of the season, tallied the most top-10 finishes at the Raleigh Relays since 2012 and earned five medals at the MEAC Championships, where the NCCU men celebrated their best finish at the conference outdoor championship since rejoining the MEAC in the 2011-12 season. The men's 4x100m relay team recorded the school's fastest time in eight years to place fifth in the College Finals of the prestigious Penn Relays, the womens 4x100m relay squad broke a High Point University meet record with the fastest time in eight years, and both of the 4x100m relay teams captured bronze medals at the MEAC Championships for their best conference finishes since returning to the league.   After excelling as a multi-sport athlete at Needham B. Broughton High School in Raleigh, track & field became his sport of choice in college.   As a sprinter at NCCU, he amassed such honors as becoming a four-time All-CIAA performer from 1996-1999, a CIAA champion in 1998, an All-American in 1999 and ranked fourth in NCAA Division II Track & Field in the 200m dash.   Walker received his bachelors degree in Sociology from NCCU in 1999.   He was also distinguished as a finalist for the 2012 Chinese Olympic Sprint Team coaching staff.   " NCCU Announces Tavius Walker as Director of Track & Field/Cross Country " (Aug. 24, 2016)  

Drake, originally from Cuba, joined the NCCU Track and Field as an Assistant Coach in fall 2008 to work with the jumpers. From 1984 to 1996, he was a high jumper on the Cuban National Track & Field team and achieved a personal best of 2.34m (7'8"). Between 1990 and 1992, he was among the best high jumpers in the world, finishing 5th at the Tokyo World Championships (1991) and 8th at the Barcelona Olympics (1992). During his years of active competition,Drake completed his university degree in Sports and Physical Training at the Manuel Fajardo Institute of Advanced Sports and Physical Culture at the University of Havana, with a concentration in Track and Field. Following his undergraduate studies, he expanded his coaching skills by completing the IAAF first level coaching certification and a post-graduate course in Sports Psychology. Drake completed his USATF Level II Certification in Jumps in 2007. Upon retiring as an athlete in 1996, Drake was named Assistant Coach for the Cuban National team where he worked with the national selection of high jumpers. From 1998 to 2000, he represented Cuba as a visiting coach with the National Track & Field team of the Dominican Republic in preparation for the 2002 Panamerican Games. Following his assignment in the Dominican Republic, he was promoted to Sub-Director of the Cuban National team where he was in charge of educational development and gained extensive administrative and management experience. Drake came to the United States in 2002. Before coming to NCCU, he was a volunteer Track and Field coach with Johns Hopkins University and the University of South Carolina. He has also worked as a personal trainer with a wide range of athletes, including Major League baseball players. Having personally benefited from the combined opportunity to be an athlete and student in Cuba,Drake believes in sports as an integral part of the university educational experience and is thrilled to be working with student athletes at NCCU.