UWEC Athletics Hall of Fame
Link Walker retired as the 10th Blugold head football coach on December 1,1986 after completing his 19th season and compiling a 104-85-3 record, three times as many victories as any of the previous nine coaches. During Walker’s tenure, the Blugolds won conference championships in 1981 and 1983 after which he was named both conference and NAIA District 14 Coach of the Year. The Blugolds’ 1981 squad was the last unbeaten, untied conference championship team and at that time was the first since 1972 to go through a conference campaign with an 8-0 mark. With a 9-1 overall record, the 1981 team was also the winningest in Blugold history and ranked No. 9 in the final NAIA Division I poll, missing the playoffs by one position in the rankings. Walker’s teams were known for their potent offenses, leaning heavily on a strong running attack, usually with a good option quarterback. However, defense was not overlooked as evidenced by the 1978 team which posted five shutouts and the 1981 team which led the conference in fewest yards and points allowed. Walker coached eight NAIA All-Americans and six Academic All-Americans. In addition, many who played for Walker or coached under Walker attained head coaching positions at colleges and high schools across the country.
An Eau Claire native, Walker graduated from Eau Claire Senior High, then spent time with the U.S. Navy in World War II. He returned to the city and attended Eau Claire State Teachers College where he earned eight letters in football and baseball. He quarterbacked the 1948 Blugold team which claimed the school’s first outright conference title. Walker spent 12 years in the Wisconsin high school ranks, producing a 65-29-2 record during stints at Elcho, Abbotsford, Stanley and Antigo. He returned to his alma mater in 1962 as an assistant coach and had a hand in the Blugolds’ 1963 conference championship. He left for two seasons and was a grad assistant at Colorado State while he completed work on his doctorate. He returned to Eau Claire and served two more years as an assistant before taking over the head coaching reins from Jim Rice in 1968.
