TicketsCINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati Department of Athletics mourns the loss of former Assistant AD/Sports Medicine Bill Walker.
Walker (1947-2017) passed Saturday after a long illness. He was 70 years old.
He oversaw health care for legions of former Bearcats' student-athletes over a span of almost 32 years. Walker served as UC's head athletic trainer from Dec. 1975 until July 2007, adding the Assistant AD/Sports Medicine title in 1998.
Walker was directly responsible for the growth and expansion of UC's sports medicine program and mentored dozens of students who went on to become athletic trainers along with staff members still in the field of athletic medicine.
"I met Bill in 1976 and together we started the first sports medicine program at Cincinnati," UC Senior Associate AD/Medical Services Bob Mangine said. "If it wasn't for him I would have never come to this University. He was very well respected nationally as well as in the state of Ohio in the sports medicine field. He was one of the early athletic trainers that pushed for licensing of athletic trainers in the state of Ohio. He served in Vietnam as a medic and that's how he got into athletic training. UC was ahead of its time and Bill was one of the driving forces. He will be sorely missed."
The UC College of Education honored Walker with its Outstanding Contribution to Education award in 1993.
"Bill never met a stranger," UC Head Athletic Trainer Robb Williams said. "He was a true man's man. A soldier, mentor to the masses, healer of many, scholar, teacher and keeper of the Bearcats faith. He was respected and trusted by all. He has Glenn Sample, Jim Kelly Sr., Bill Keating Sr. and Tony Mason up there to teach him the ropes. Godspeed to Bill. We will miss him."
Prior to joining the UC staff, he served as the head athletic trainer for the Shreveport Steamers of the World Football League.
Walker, a past President of the Greater Cincinnati Athletic Trainers' Association, was tabbed for the Ohio Athletic Trainer's Association Hall of Fame in 1998, earned the National Athletic Trainers' Association Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award in 2011 and was inducted into the James P. Kelly UC Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015.
After leaving UC in July of 2007, he joined Oxford Physical Therapy as manager of special projects.
He earned a bachelor's degree from Austin Peay State University in 1973 and a master's from Tennessee Tech in 1975.
A Vietnam Veteran in the United States Army, Walker was decorated with the Bronze Star, Army Commendation, Vietnam Campaign Medal and Vietnam Service Medal (Three Stars).
The native of Lake City, Florida is survived by his wife Carol. Arrangements are pending and will be announced when available.
Walker (1947-2017) passed Saturday after a long illness. He was 70 years old.
He oversaw health care for legions of former Bearcats' student-athletes over a span of almost 32 years. Walker served as UC's head athletic trainer from Dec. 1975 until July 2007, adding the Assistant AD/Sports Medicine title in 1998.
Walker was directly responsible for the growth and expansion of UC's sports medicine program and mentored dozens of students who went on to become athletic trainers along with staff members still in the field of athletic medicine.
"I met Bill in 1976 and together we started the first sports medicine program at Cincinnati," UC Senior Associate AD/Medical Services Bob Mangine said. "If it wasn't for him I would have never come to this University. He was very well respected nationally as well as in the state of Ohio in the sports medicine field. He was one of the early athletic trainers that pushed for licensing of athletic trainers in the state of Ohio. He served in Vietnam as a medic and that's how he got into athletic training. UC was ahead of its time and Bill was one of the driving forces. He will be sorely missed."
The UC College of Education honored Walker with its Outstanding Contribution to Education award in 1993.
"Bill never met a stranger," UC Head Athletic Trainer Robb Williams said. "He was a true man's man. A soldier, mentor to the masses, healer of many, scholar, teacher and keeper of the Bearcats faith. He was respected and trusted by all. He has Glenn Sample, Jim Kelly Sr., Bill Keating Sr. and Tony Mason up there to teach him the ropes. Godspeed to Bill. We will miss him."
Prior to joining the UC staff, he served as the head athletic trainer for the Shreveport Steamers of the World Football League.
Walker, a past President of the Greater Cincinnati Athletic Trainers' Association, was tabbed for the Ohio Athletic Trainer's Association Hall of Fame in 1998, earned the National Athletic Trainers' Association Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award in 2011 and was inducted into the James P. Kelly UC Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015.
After leaving UC in July of 2007, he joined Oxford Physical Therapy as manager of special projects.
He earned a bachelor's degree from Austin Peay State University in 1973 and a master's from Tennessee Tech in 1975.
A Vietnam Veteran in the United States Army, Walker was decorated with the Bronze Star, Army Commendation, Vietnam Campaign Medal and Vietnam Service Medal (Three Stars).
The native of Lake City, Florida is survived by his wife Carol. Arrangements are pending and will be announced when available.