After winning a conference championship in basketball and making an NCAA appearance, Mike Walley joined his College of New Jersey baseball teammates for the spring trip to Florida. What a way to cap off a great two-sport athletic career. Then Covid struck and Walley’s dreams of another championship and NCAA run in baseball were dashed as the season was cancelled.
“It went from an all-time high to basically in just a matter of days to my athletic career being over,’’ recalled Walley, of the spring of 2020. “I knew I wasn’t going to use my fifth year and I had this feeling of emptiness.’’ Walley, a sharpshooter in basketball, had a career senior season with 56 3-pointers and.
averaged 7.2 points per game as the Lions went 20-9. He was looking forward to his senior baseball season coming off a 6-0 junior campaign on the mound.
He ended with an 11-2 record in his three years. “I knew I still wanted to be involved in the game and be around the game,’’ declared Walley, who played at Notre Dame prior to TCNJ. “My grandfather always wanted me to get my MBA and I thought no way was I going back to school.
’’ When the opportunity came to be a grad assistant at St. Joseph’ s, the MBA didn’t look so bad. “When that opportunity presented itself I figured I could still be around basketball and see what this coaching world is like and also pursuing another degree,’’ said Walley.
“I looked at it as two birds one stone type deal. As I got into it I realized how cool this really was and I how maybe coaching would be for me.’’ John Griffin III was the associate head coach at St.
Joe’s, and when his alma mater, Bucknell, called in 2023, Griffin brought Walley along as the Director of Basketball Operations. “When you start in the grad assistant world you are at the bottom and you are just surviving day to day but Coach Griffin was great to me at St. Joe’s,’’ said Walley.
“Because of the work I put in over the two years and he offered me a position to come with him to Bucknell as Director of Operations.’’ Over their several years together, Walley’s admiration for Griffin has just continued to grow and he has been a sponge soaking up plenty of knowledge. “He’s the most competitive and energetic person I have ever been around,’’ said Walley.
“He raises the level of competition in any room he walks into. He wants the best for everybody and he wants me to grow in every way and I wouldn’t be here without him and I owe hm a lot of thanks’’ Walley’s college coach Matt Goldsmith saw first-hand his coaching mentality. “Mike Walley was the definition of a coach on the floor while he was here at TCNJ,’’ said Goldsmith.
“He was a vocal leader and had one of the highest basketball IQ’s we have ever had at TCNJ. He is a great kid and our entire program is rooting for him.’’ Walley is grateful to both Goldsmith and TCNJ baseball coach Dean Glus for giving him the opportunity to play two sports.
“Honestly, if it wasn’t for his understanding I don’t know of too many places that would have let a kid come in and play basketball and baseball,’’ said Walley. Coach Goldsmith to give me that opportunity was fantastic and now we talk to each other as coaches and no matter what I know he’ll be there when I need him and I’m thankful for that.’’ Walley holds the same respect for his high school baseball coach Joe Drulis.
“He has been nothing but the best to me,’’ Walley said of Drulis. “His record speaks for itself and he’s a winner through and though. He does things the right way and it’s something I have always respected.
He knows he has talent but he lets the players play the game. He teaches and leads the right way. A very humble person and someone is always there for me, he’s one of the best.
’’ Excelling in two sports can be tough as you grow older and have to make a choice. “I leaned toward basketball, Walley stated. “It’s a smaller group of people and I saw it as an opportunity to climb the ladder potentially quicker.
Deep down I played the game like a coach. I always thought I had a D3 skill set with a D1 mind.’’ The mind is being put to the test with the Director of Basketball Operations title.
“It’s an awesome position,’’ said Walley. “It’s has all the luxuries of coaching and on the flip side I’m working behind the scenes on travel and all the accommodations, even down to what color jersey are we going to wear, it’s tough but I’m learning so much. The guys on our staff have been a great support to me and very helpful’’ It has been a great beginning for Walley in the coaching profession.
“I’m having a lot of fun, it’s so cool to see the game from this side,’’ Walley said. “There are so many things I know now that I wish I did as a player, it’s great to be on the side where you can see things and teach these guys and help them get to the places they want to go.’’.
