Jackson, Miss. – Former Alcorn State University women's basketball head coach Shirley A. Gibbs-Walker has been named to the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2027, recognizing her lasting impact on the Lady Braves, the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) and women's college basketball.
The Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame announced its eight-member Class of 2027 on Thursday, Oct. 22, at a press conference at the Museum in Jackson, Mississippi. The class recognizes individuals whose accomplishments have elevated Mississippi athletics at the national and international levels.
A native of Bude, Mississippi, and an alumna of Alcorn State, Gibbs-Walker spent 30 seasons leading the Lady Braves, building one of the most successful women's basketball programs in SWAC history. She took over the program for the 1978-79 season and concluded her coaching career following the 2007-08 campaign, recording 493 career victories, the most by any women's basketball head coach in SWAC history.
Under Gibbs-Walker's leadership, Alcorn captured 12 SWAC regular-season championships and six SWAC Tournament titles. She also guided the Lady Braves to three NCAA Tournament appearances in 1999-2000, 2000-01 and 2004-05.
"Coach Gibbs-Walker built something at Alcorn State that will outlast all of us," said Alcorn Athletics Director E. D'Wayne Robinson. "Thirty years of coaching, over 400 wins, and a standard of discipline that shaped generations of student-athletes. Her impact on Alcorn State and SWAC women's basketball is immeasurable. This Hall of Fame recognition is richly deserved, and we couldn't be prouder to call her one of our own."
One of the defining milestones of Gibbs-Walker's career came during the 2000 SWAC Tournament, when Alcorn earned its first NCAA Tournament appearance. After finishing second in the regular-season standings, the Lady Braves defeated Grambling State 83-56 in the championship game to secure the conference title and a place in the NCAA Tournament. Alcorn repeated as SWAC Tournament champion in 2001 and returned to the NCAA Tournament in 2004-05.
Gibbs-Walker also played an important role in advancing opportunities for women's basketball throughout the conference. Through her service on NCAA committees, including the Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee, she helped advocate for greater recognition of SWAC women's basketball and its path to the NCAA Tournament.
Reflecting on the recognition, Gibbs-Walker expressed gratitude for the people who helped shape her coaching career and the Lady Braves program.
"I was always wondering if it would happen, and I really feel good about it. I was always wondering if it would happen, and I feel very deeply for the great state of Mississippi and the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame, and always Alcorn State University, and Alcorn laid the foundation in order for me to receive this honor. So I'm very grateful for it. said Gibbs-Walker.
Her influence has continued to be recognized well beyond her retirement. Gibbs-Walker was inducted into the SWAC Hall of Fame in 2010 and received the SWAC Alumni Association Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014. That same year, the Mississippi Legislature passed legislation naming the playing surface inside Alcorn's Davey L. Whitney HPER Complex the Shirley A. Gibbs-Walker Court. The court was formally dedicated in her honor in 2015.
Gibbs-Walker's legacy extends beyond championships and individual accomplishments. Her commitment to discipline, consistency, and the development of student-athletes helped establish Alcorn as a perennial contender and contributed to the growth and visibility of women's basketball across the SWAC.
Gibbs-Walker's later mentioned "I spent years working to open the door for SWAC women's basketball to compete in the NCAA Tournament. As a member of the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Committee, I asked questions, sought guidance from people like Sonja Hogue, Dr. C.D. Henry and Pat Summitt, and continued advocating for our conference. When the NCAA took over the women's championship in 1982, the SWAC did not have an automatic bid, and Jackson State eventually became the first team from the conference to compete in the tournament through an at-large opening. Looking back, I never fully realized how much time and effort I was putting into those long meetings and travels. I was simply focused on making sure SWAC women's basketball had a place on that stage. Today, I can look back and appreciate the work that helped open the door for future generations."
Her induction into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame further recognizes a career that helped shape the history of Alcorn State athletics and created a lasting foundation for generations of Lady Braves.
The Class of 2027 will be formally enshrined during Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame Induction Weekend, July 30-31, 2027.
