Highlands' Jeff Walz to coach USA basketball U-23 team
Jeff Walz, the women's basketball coach at Louisville who grew up in Fort Thomas and attended Highlands High School and Northern Kentucky University, will coach the USA Basketball Women's U-23 National Team this August in the inaugural 2017 U-23 Four Nations Tournament in Tokyo, USA Basketball announced Wednesday.
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The gig is Walz's first USA Basketball head coaching assignment. As a USA assistant coach in 2014 and 2015, he helped both teams go a combined 12-0 en route to gold medals.
"I am beyond thankful for the honor to work with USA Basketball again," Walz said in a statement. "I had amazing experiences the past two summers as an assistant coach. Professionally, it's something I dreamed of doing, and it became a reality. Now, to be asked to be a head coach and work with these student-athletes is incredibly humbling. USA Basketball possesses impeccable standards and a winning tradition, and I am excited for the opportunity and eager to be entrusted with such an important role."
Walz recently capped off his 10th season as head coach at U of L, leading the Cards (29-8) to the NCAA tournament Sweet 16. He is the winningest coach in program history and has orchestrated seven consecutive 20-win seasons, including two national runner-up finishes.
Walz's sister, Jaime Walz Richey, is the girls' basketball head coach at Highlands. Jeff's first coaching position in college was as an assistant at Western Kentucky, with Jaime on the team.
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