Tom Walter

Bio

A proven program builder and player developer, Tom Walter completed his 15th season as the head coach of Wake Forest baseball in 2024.

Walter was named the 2023 Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year, becoming the third Demon Deacon skipper to receive Coach of the Year honors (George Greer and Marvin Crater) after leading the 2023 Wake Forest ballclub to a historic season.

With 458 wins as the Demon Deacon skipper, he sits as the second-winningest coach in program history, trailing only George Greer.

Walter reached the 450 win mark in a victory over Western Carolina on May 4, 2024. With the win, Wake Forest reached the 30-win mark for the third-straight season, the longest such streak since the Deacs won 30 or more in six-straight seasons from 1997-2002.

Wake Forest’s 17-1 win against Pitt on Sunday, April 23, 2023 marked the 400th win of Walter’s tenure at the helm of the Demon Deacon baseball program.

On April 10, 2022, Walter picked up the 350th win at the helm of the Demon Deacon baseball program as Wake Forest swept Big Four rival Duke for the first time since 2008.

Additionally, Walter is one of just three active head coaches in the country to lead three different programs to the NCAA Division I Tournament, becoming just the seventh coach all-time to do so. He joins the ranks of Larry Cochell, Augie Garrido, Sunny Golloway, Andy Lopez, Ron Polk and Jack Stallings, while Randy Mazey and Jim Schlossnagle joined that group after Walter.

Walter has helped 58 players get drafted or sign pro contracts over the last 11 years, including 12 Deacs drafted among the top 50 picks and seven first rounders since 2020 in Chase Burns (2024), Nick Kurtz (2024), Seaver King (2024), Rhett Lowder (2023), Brock Wilken (2023), Ryan Cusick (2021) and Jared Shuster (2020).

Advancing to the NCAA Greenville Regional in 2024, the Deacs will look for their fourth-straight NCAA Regional appearance in 2025, the longest streak since making five-straight Regionals from 1998-2002.

Highlighted by three Top-10 picks for the first time in school history and just the second time in the history of the MLB Draft, six members of Wake Forest baseball were selected in the 2024 MLB Draft.

A program record 13 members of the 2024 Wake Forest baseball team earned All-ACC Academic honors as announced by the league office.

The 113 Demon Deacon home runs in 2024 marked the third consecutive season the Deacs have reached the century mark and is now the third-highest home run total in program history. Of note, the three-highest totals have all come in the last three seasons.

For the third year in a row, a Wake Forest starting pitcher took home Atlantic Coast Conference Pitcher of the Year honors, as junior right-hander Chase Burns was crowned by the league.

Burns joins Demon Deacon legend Rhett Lowder (2022 & 2023 Honoree) as the programs only ACC Pitcher of the Year recipients.

Burns finished the regular season as the nation’s leader in strikeouts (169) and had 45 more punchouts than any other pitcher in the ACC.

When he exited his final game as a Deac, he had 191 strikeouts on the season which was the third most in ACC history and the most in Wake Forest history by 48 strikeouts:

Highlighted by a then-program record of two first-round picks for the first time in school history, a program-record 10 members of Wake Forest baseball were selected in the 2023 MLB Draft.

Wake Forest also had the most players selected out of all the ACC programs and the second-most in the nation. Additionally, the Deacs were the only team to have four pitchers taken within the top 100 picks.

While at Wake Forest, Walter has overseen the development of 2016 National Player of the Year Will Craig, 2019 ACC Player of the Year Bobby Seymour, two-time ACC Pitcher of the Year Rhett Lowder in 2022 and 2023 and 2024 ACC Pitcher of the Year Chase Burns. Additionally, Walter has guided Craig, Nate Mondou, Stuart Fairchild, Gavin Sheets, Ben Breazeale, DJ Poteet, Seymour, Chris Lanzilli, Brock Wilken, Eric Adler, Lowder, Brendan Tinsman, Nick Kurtz, Tommy Hawke, Josh Hartle, Seth Keener, Sean Sullivan Camden Minacci, Chase Burns and Jake Reinisch to All-America selections as well as a total of 39 All-ACC honorees.

Walter guided the 2023 Deacs to one of the greatest seasons in program history. The Deacs set program records in regular season wins (45), ACC wins (22), ACC series wins (10), postseason wins (9) and overall wins (54).

Additionally, the 2023 Demon Deacons squad became the 13th ACC team since 2010 to reach the 50-win mark and the 28th to do so since 2000. The 54 wins this season marks the first 50-win season by an ACC team since 2019, the most wins by an ACC team since 2013 and is the third highest win total since 2010.

The 2023 Wake Forest baseball team made the program’s third-ever Men’s College World Series appearance this season, and its first since capturing the program’s first national championship in 1955.

Wake Forest earned the No. 1 overall seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament and went a perfect 3-0 in the Winston-Salem Regional, its first time hosting since 2017, with victories over Maryland and George Mason (twice) to host Winston-Salem’s first ever super regional.

With its win over George Mason to clinch the regional title, the Deacs became the first team in program history and the nation to reach the 50-win mark.

Additionally, Wake Forest became the first team since North Carolina in 2017 to run the table and win all 10 ACC series in a season and clinched the program’s first Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season title since 1963.

The Deacs continued their winning ways in Omaha, defeating No. 8 Stanford and No. 5 LSU.

In the opening game of the MCWS, Wake Forest came from behind to take a one-run lead in the eighth inning before Camden Minacci slammed the door in the ninth, recording a save.

In its first of three games against LSU, Bennett Lee delivered with a clutch RBI-single down the left field line to break a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the eighth before Minacci once again slammed the door in the top of the ninth to clinch the victory.

The Demon Deacons strikeout numbers were historic, ranking third in NCAA history in single-season strikeouts with a program-record 779 strikeouts.

Wake Forest also set new program highs in strikeouts-per-nine innings (12.1), fielding percentage (.979), shutouts (10), runs (591), home runs (130), RBIs (541) and walks (424).

At the conclusion of the 2023 season, the Deacs led the nation in virtually every pitching category (ERA, hits-per-nine innings, WHIP, strikeouts-per-nine innings, strikeout-to-walk ratio and strikeouts) and ranked in the top six in the ACC in every offensive category.

For the second year in a row, Wake Forest baseball righthander Rhett Lowder was named the ACC Pitcher of the Year. After becoming the first Demon Deacon ever to receive the award last season, Lowder is just the second pitcher in conference history to garner back-to-back Pitcher of the Year honors (Danny Hultzen, 2010-11).

Additionally, Wake Forest baseball placed a league high and tied a program best with nine selections to the 2023 All-Atlantic Coast Conference teams.

Josh Hartle (first team), Rhett Lowder (first team), Sean Sullivan (first team), Nick Kurtz (first team), Justin Johnson (first team), Tommy Hawke (second team), Brock Wilken (second team), Seth Keener (third team) and Camden Minacci (third team) earned recognition for their efforts in helping Wake Forest post its greatest regular season in program history.

Wake Forest’s nine honorees led the league and tied the 2017 team for the most all-conference honorees in program history. Hartle, Lowder, Sullivan, Kurtz and Johnson’s selections marked the most first team honors in Wake Forest history.

Walter guided the Demon Deacons to one of the best baseball seasons at Wake Forest ever in 2022. The Deacs finished the campaign with 41 victories, the fifth most in program history and increased its win total by 21 games (41 wins to 20 wins), the largest year-to-year turnaround in program history.

Wake Forest was selected to the 2022 NCAA Baseball Tournament, the program’s 14th appearance in the national playoffs and the third tournament appearance in Walter’s tenure, after posting the program’s seventh 40-win season.

Wake Forest ended the regular season with 39 wins, tying the 1999 Demon Deacons for the second-most regular season wins in program history.

The 2022 squad got off to one of the best starts in program history with an 11-0 record, the first time since 1961 Wake Forest has won their first 11 games. At that point of the season, Wake Forest stood as one of five unbeaten teams in Division I. Additionally, Wake Forest reeled in its 30th win in just 43 games, the fourth-fastest in program history and the fastest since 2017.

The 2022 Deacs combined for one of the best offensive seasons in program history and across Division I baseball. Wake Forest broke program records for home runs (122), walks (364), RBIs (535), runs scored (561), runs per game (9.1), slugging percentage (.548), 20-run games (four), 20-run games in ACC play (two), runs in ACC game (27) and hits in an ACC game (28) while ranking in the top-10 nationally in every offensive category and leading the conference in walks, hits, home runs and runs.

On the mound, the Demon Deacons dropped their team ERA by a whole run per game from 2022 to 2021 and finished in the top half of the ACC in runs allowed per game. Wake Forest’s pitching staff got off to a hot start, giving up just 11 runs through the first four games, the fewest number of runs the Deacs have allowed in the first four games in Walter’s tenure.

Against ACC competition, Wake Forest finished over .500 for the second time in Walter’s tenure as well finishing the regular season with the highest out-of-conference winning percentage (92.3) in the nation, amassing a 24-2 record.

The Deacs capped off the 2022 regular season with a three-game sweep over Big Four rival NC State, the program’s first-ever sweep in Raleigh.

After fantastic sophomore campaigns, both Lowder and Tedy McGraw were selected to the 2022 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team, the first time in program history a pair of Demon Deacon teammates repped the Red, White and Blue.

Walter and the Deacs had a banner season in 2017, which included Wake Forest hosting and sweeping the Winston-Salem Regional and finishing a game away from the College World Series, concluding the year with a 43-20 overall record. The Demon Deacons set program records in ACC wins (19), ACC series wins (eight) and All-ACC honorees (nine). The Deacs also set a new team-high with eight student-athletes drafted, including program records of two in the top 50 overall picks and four in the top seven rounds.

Wake Forest earned back-to-back NCAA Regional bids after competing in the College Station Regional in 2016. The Deacs have posted nine winning seasons in the last 11 years.

Walter also has experience working with USA Baseball, spending time in the summer of 2016 as a manager of the Stars team at the 17U National Team Development Program.

To Walter and the coaching staff, development off the field is equally as important as on the field. All of the program’s seniors have graduated on time for seven consecutive years, and the team has raised more than $100,000 for various charities including the ALS Association, JDRF, the Vs. Cancer Foundation, Brenner Children’s Hospital and The Parenting PATH.

On May 1, 2021, the Deacs hosted its first-ever Fight Against Pediatric Cancer Game, where fans were given the opportunity to bid on special edition, game-worn yellow jerseys that matched the pediatric cancer ribbon. The program raised $9,485, with all proceeds being donated to Brenner Children’s Hospital.

In 2022, Wake Forest fundraised $15,000 for the Parenting PATH, a local organization that supports parents, strengthens families and creates more stable communities, by auctioning off special-edition, game-worn jerseys.

The Deacs continued to use their platform for good, raising $17,661 for the Epilepsy Alliance of North Carolina during the 2023 season. Wake donned light lavender jerseys when against NC State with all auction proceeds of the jerseys going to the Epilepsy Alliance.

In 2024, Wake Forest raised $28,235 for the Epilepsy Alliance of Pennsylvania and Ryan Lloyd Foundation with a jersey auction following the series against Florida State.

The team has had 100 percent roster participation in community service for nine straight years, and also took a service trip to the Dominican Republic in 2012.

Walter also selflessly donated a kidney to outfielder Kevin Jordan just days before the 2011 season opener. Jordan was diagnosed with a serious kidney disease and needed a transplant. Without hesitation, Walter gave Jordan one of his own, and in turn, gave Jordan an opportunity at a new life.

In 2020, amidst the nationwide outcry about racial justice and equity, Walter and Jordan built on their story of togetherness and created Get In the Game, an organization aiming to educate and empower young people to take action.

In its inaugural season, Get In the Game launched programs for middle and high school students, facilitated by trained educators. The students, known as “GameChangers,” are empowered to be the best version of themselves by fostering challenging yet meaningful conversations on race and social justice in the classroom and on the field. Get In the Game develops leadership skills to empower GameChangers to reframe equity in their schools and local communities through words, actions and deeds.

On July 12, 2021, Get In The Game, Walter and Jordan were awarded the Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award at the Sports Humanitarian Awards, hosted by ESPN. The Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award, created in honor of former ESPN anchor Stuart Scott who battled cancer until his passing in 2015, celebrates someone who has taken risks and used an innovative approach toward helping the disadvantaged.

Additionally, Walter was recognized amongst his coaching peers as the veteran head coach was named the 2022 ABCA/Dave Keilitz Ethics in Coaching Award. The prestigious honor is given annually to a coach who embodies the organization’s core values of honesty, integrity, respect and personal responsibility.

Walter was presented the award during the 2022 ABCA Convention on Jan. 6-9, 2022 in Chicago, Ill.

Also an accomplished fundraiser for his program, David F. Couch Ballpark has undergone significant construction projects in six of Walter’s seven seasons, including the construction of a $14 million Chris Hurd Player Development center in 2016. Previous renovations include a state-of-the-art weight room facility (2015), all-black chairback seating (2013), an 18′ x 24′ LED video board (2012), AstroTurf and a manual scoreboard (2011) and an indoor hitting facility (2010).

Walter was named head baseball coach at Wake Forest on June 16, 2009. Wrapping up his 26th year as a head coach in 2023, Walter has amassed an overall record of 848-673-1. His 500th-career win came at home against Clemson (2-1) on May 18, 2012, while win No. 600 also came against Clemson on March 11, 2016. His 700th victory was against Furman on March 3, 2019. Walter picked up career win No. 800 in an 18-2 win over Mount St. Mary’s on February 24, 2023.

Prior to coming to Wake Forest, Walter spent five seasons at New Orleans, where he helped the Privateers to consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances in 2007 and 2008. New Orleans also boasted one of the best offenses in college baseball under Walter. The Privateers set school records for home runs in both 2007 and 2008 with 97 round-trippers in ’08. In 2008, the team also set school records in hits (743), runs (581) and RBIs (524). The offense, which ranked in the top 10 nationally in eight offensive categories throughout the year, helped UNO record its most wins (43) since 1996.

The Privateers recorded their second-consecutive trip to the postseason in 2008, becoming the only school in Louisiana to achieve back-to-back postseason bids in 2007 and 2008 and one of only 37 teams in the country to accomplish the feat. UNO finished the 2007 season with a 38-26 record, which included the school’s first Sun Belt Tournament Championship since 1979. The Privateers knocked off regional-host Wichita State in the first game of the 2007 NCAA Regional. New Orleans combined to win 81 games in 2007 and 2008 and had 13 players sign professional contracts over the two seasons.

In 2006, Walter was able to guide the Privateers to a 30-28 record, despite having to deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Walter re-located the team to Las Cruces, New Mexico for the fall semester. The team then moved to Mobile, Alabama, for the month of January and Westwego, Louisiana, for the months of February and March. The team finally returned to campus on March 21, 2006. Walter’s players also had success in the classroom as all but one of his student-athletes who spent all four years at UNO graduated.

Walter came to New Orleans after a successful eight-year coaching stint at George Washington, which included leading the Colonials to the 2002 NCAA Tournament and an appearance in the Winston-Salem regional, which was hosted by Wake Forest.

Tom WalterWalter averaged 39 wins a season at GW and is the school’s all-time wins leader with a 273-181 record. In the five seasons prior to Walter’s arrival, the Colonials averaged 21.5 wins a year.

During his time at George Washington, 26 of Walter’s players went on to play professionally. In 2002, six Colonials were taken in the MLB Draft, which marked the most players taken from the school in a single year.

While at GW, Walter also was the head coach for the Cotuit Kettlers of the Cape Cod Baseball League in the 1997 and 1998 seasons. He led the Kettlers to the playoffs in ’97. At Cotuit, Walter coached eight players who went on to the majors and 25 players who signed professional contracts. Included on some of his teams were big-leaguers Aaron Harang, Chris Capuano and Garrett Atkins.

Walter also was a head coach of the New Market (Va.) Rebels during the summer of 1994, where he led the team to the Shenandoah Valley League title. Before going to GW, Walter spent two years as an assistant general manager with the Greensboro Bats. He performed various duties for the then-New York Yankees Class A affiliate. Walter played his college baseball at Georgetown University and started all four seasons either behind the plate or in the outfield. He served as team captain in 1990 and 1991 and was named to the 1991 Big East Conference All-Academic Team.

Walter graduated from Georgetown in 1991 with a bachelor’s degree in finance. He later went on to earn his MBA at George Washington in 1994, while serving as an assistant coach for the Colonials.