2008 Woodie Awards
New aide Walthall rejoins an old friend
Brendan Stiles - The Daily Iowan
Issue date: 7/2/07 Section: Sports
Taking a job as one of Todd Lickliter's assistants was meant to be for Chad Walthall.
When the Iowa head coach first earned his coaching gig at Butler, one of the first people he called about joining his Bulldog coaching staff was Walthall, who had worked for Lickliter at Eastern Michigan.
Walthall graciously turned down Lickliter's offer because he had only been a head coach at Loras College for one year when the position at Butler was opened.
"I felt there was more to be done at Loras," Walthall said. "It was certainly no disrespect to him and Butler, because it was a tremendous opportunity, and fortunately, he understood."
When his seventh campaign at Loras was complete, Walthall had guided his team to an Iowa Conference championship. He had all five starters returning for this coming season, and a $20 million basketball facility had recently been completed.
Then came a call from Lickliter about becoming an assistant for him at Iowa, and this time around, Walthall couldn't say no.
Being Loras' athletics director as well, Walthall got his assistant and childhood friend Greg Gorton to take over for him at Loras, which, he said, made the transition much easier for him and his family.
"He was getting a great jump on his career, and at the same time, I had the opportunity to join a good friend and coach," Walthall said. "Obviously, having the opportunity to be in the Big Ten Conference is one that you just can't pass up."
Walthall believes that while he never worked at Butler, as did the other new assistants, Joel Cornette and LaVall Jordan, he does have a lot in common with Lickliter, both on and off the floor. The assistant said he learned a great deal from Lickliter when the two were at Eastern Michigan.
"I think we're both men of great faith," Walthall said. "Both being a good father and good husband is very important to the both of us, and I think that's where it kind of started.
"There was a mutual friendship and respect off the floor first, and then I think as we continued working together at Eastern Michigan, we really talked a lot about basketball, and family, and about a bunch of things."
When the Iowa head coach first earned his coaching gig at Butler, one of the first people he called about joining his Bulldog coaching staff was Walthall, who had worked for Lickliter at Eastern Michigan.
Walthall graciously turned down Lickliter's offer because he had only been a head coach at Loras College for one year when the position at Butler was opened.
"I felt there was more to be done at Loras," Walthall said. "It was certainly no disrespect to him and Butler, because it was a tremendous opportunity, and fortunately, he understood."
When his seventh campaign at Loras was complete, Walthall had guided his team to an Iowa Conference championship. He had all five starters returning for this coming season, and a $20 million basketball facility had recently been completed.
Then came a call from Lickliter about becoming an assistant for him at Iowa, and this time around, Walthall couldn't say no.
Being Loras' athletics director as well, Walthall got his assistant and childhood friend Greg Gorton to take over for him at Loras, which, he said, made the transition much easier for him and his family.
"He was getting a great jump on his career, and at the same time, I had the opportunity to join a good friend and coach," Walthall said. "Obviously, having the opportunity to be in the Big Ten Conference is one that you just can't pass up."
Walthall believes that while he never worked at Butler, as did the other new assistants, Joel Cornette and LaVall Jordan, he does have a lot in common with Lickliter, both on and off the floor. The assistant said he learned a great deal from Lickliter when the two were at Eastern Michigan.
"I think we're both men of great faith," Walthall said. "Both being a good father and good husband is very important to the both of us, and I think that's where it kind of started.
"There was a mutual friendship and respect off the floor first, and then I think as we continued working together at Eastern Michigan, we really talked a lot about basketball, and family, and about a bunch of things."
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