Story Courtesy Harrison LaLone, CMU Athletics
Central Michigan Women’s Basketball has hired Jordan Walker for its coaching staff in 2025-26, Head Coach Kristin Haynie announced.
“I’m excited to welcome Jordan to our program,” Coach Haynie said. “I love how she sees the game—our guards are in great hands. They’ll benefit not only from her experience as an elite player, but also from her ability to teach and break the game down.
“What makes her truly special is that she cares first about helping our players grow into confident, successful young women.”
The Muskegon, Mich.-native and former Michigan Miss Basketball honoree returns to Michigan with two full-time years of coaching under her belt, one season each at Jacksonville University (2024-25) and Mercer University (2023-24).
“Coming back home to coach the game I love is a dream come true,” Walker said. “I’m honored and humbled to step into this role. I’m especially grateful to be joining a program with such great history, culture and people, and so thankful to Coach Haynie for the opportunity.”
Last season with the Dolphins, Walker aided Jacksonville to a 14-17 record, 8-10 in the Atlantic Sun Conference. Jacksonville fell in the first round of the ASUN tournament in overtime against Bellarmine. Under Head Coach Special Jennings, Walker helped the Dolphins to a three-game improvement over Jennings’s first season with the program.
Walker made her coaching debut with Mercer on Nov. 6, 2023, and was part of a staff that marked a three-win improvement for the Bears, finishing the 2023-24 campaign 15-17 overall, 8-6 in the Southern Conference. Mercer defeated East Tennessee State in the 2024 SoCon Championship Quarterfinals before falling to Chattanooga.
A strong facilitator for Tennessee, Walker eclipsed 100 assists in a season twice, finishing with 291 dimes over three seasons in Knoxville. The Lady Vols amassed a 67-29 record during Walker’s time with the program, appearing in the NCAA Sweet Sixteen twice (2023, 2022).
Prior to Tennessee, Walker spent three years at Western Michigan, redshirting her sophomore season in 2018-19. She averaged 11.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game for the Broncos, starting 54 of 64 appearances. Her redshirt-sophomore season in 2019-20 featured a nightly rate of 16 points, 6.2 rebounds.
Walker graduated from Western Michigan with her bachelor’s in political science in 2020, then earned two master’s degrees from the University of Tennessee: one in business administration in 2022, then another from the Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications (ALEC) department with concentration in Name, Image and Likeness and Women’s Leadership in 2023.
Central Michigan Women’s Basketball returned to the Mid-American Conference Championship tournament for the first time since 2021 in the second season under Coach Haynie. The Chippewas improved by eight wins overall, five in league play from the first to second year, finishing at 14-17 (9-9 MAC).
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