Anne Walker, who was named the Margot and Mitch Milias Director of Women’s Golf in 2012, has established herself as one of the premier college coaches in the country. In addition to leading the Cardinal to its first three NCAA titles in school history (2015, 2022, 2024), Walker has mentored some of the most recognizable names in the sport.
Stanford has enjoyed unprecedented team and individual success under Walker. The Cardinal has qualified for NCAA Championships in all 11 possible seasons during Walker’s tenure, including seven appearances in the national semifinals, while earning the distinction of being the only program in the country to reach the NCAA match play quarterfinal stage in all nine seasons of the current format.
A three-time WGCA National Coach of the Year (2015, 2022, 2024) and four-time Pac-12 Coach of the Year (2015, 2021-22, 2024), Walker has mentored the likes of Rachel Heck, Andrea Lee, Paula Martin Sampedro, Mariah Stackhouse, Albane Valenzuela and Rose Zhang, a heralded group that has combined to win three NCAA individual titles, three ANNIKA Award honors, three WCGA Golfer of the Year Award nods and five Pac-12 Golfer of the Year Award accolades.
Under Walker’s guidance, Stanford has captured 44 full-field victories and has produced 33 All-Americans. Stanford has had at least one first-team All-American in all 12 seasons with Walker at the helm.
Walker was particularly instrumental in the development of Zhang, who in two seasons produced arguably the most decorated amateur career in the history of collegiate golf prior to turning pro in 2023. The first female to win two NCAA individual titles, Zhang twice set the NCAA single-season scoring average record and delivered a school-record 12 victories in only 20 starts, including a staggering eight wins in 10 events in 2023 for the most in women's collegiate golf history while matching Tiger Woods for the most in school history. A two-time ANNIKA Award recipient and two-time WGCA Golfer of the Year, Zhang also established the NCAA career scoring average record with a 69.24 average in 62 career rounds and was named Pac-12 Golfer of the Year in her two seasons.
Stanford won its second national championship in three seasons in 2023-24, defeating UCLA 3-2 to close out a remarkably successful season. The Cardinal won two tournaments during the season, including the season-opening Carmel Cup, and a rain-shortened Juli Inkster Invitational, but caught fire at the end of the season, winning three postseason tournaments. Stanford won its first Pac-12 championship in ten years in 2024 and followed that up with a dominant performance in the NCAA Cle Elum Regional as the only team to finish better than par, entering the NCAA Championship as the top-ranked team. Stanford advanced to match play as the top-seeded team for the fourth year in a row and became the second team to win the NCAA Championship as the No. 1 seed, something Stanford also did in 2022. The entire lineup of Stanford golfers was named to both the WGCA and Golfweek All-America teams, with five All-Americans representing the most in a single season in Cardinal history.
Not only did Stanford have five All-America selections, but freshman standout Paula Martin Sampedro was named the WGCA and Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, in addition to Pac-12 Golfer of the Year, becoming the fifth Cardinal under Walker to earn that prestigious award. Walker earned the WGCA and Pac-12 Coach of the Year honors following the national championship.
In 2021-22, Stanford defeated Oregon 3-2 to capture its second NCAA championship and conclude one of the most dominant seasons in collegiate history. Two days after winning the NCAA individual crown, Zhang delivered a 3&1 victory and provided the clinching point against the Ducks after the Cardinal defeated Auburn in the semifinals and Georgia in the quarterfinals. Showcasing an unmatched blend of star power and superior lineup depth, Stanford was the nation’s unanimous No. 1 team from start to finish and the Cardinal set an NCAA 54-hole record with a team score of 50-under at the Gunrock Invitational (Feb. 28-March 1) while Heck broke her own school record to win the event at 18-under (198). Heck, Aline Krauter and Brooke Seay joined Zhang as All-Americans, Krauter was the recipient of the Dinah Shore Award Trophy and Seay earned the NCAA’s Elite 90 Award.
Walker was named WGCA West Region Coach of the Year and Pac-12 Coach of the Year in 2021, a campaign in which the Cardinal won six of its nine stroke-play events during the pandemic-shortened spring-only schedule, including a pair of dominating NCAA postseason performances. Heck claimed the NCAA individual title as a freshman and was named the ANNIKA Award winner, Ping/WGCA Golfer and Freshman of the Year, Pac-12 Golfer of the Year and Pac-12 Newcomer of the Year. Heck won six times in nine starts, becoming the third woman ever to sweep the postseason (conference, regionals, nationals). Both Heck and Angelina Ye earned WGCA First Team All-America honors, making Stanford the only school in the country with two first-team selections. Stanford rolled to a 30-shot victory in the NCAA Regionals on its home course followed by a 13-shot margin after four rounds of stroke play at the NCAA Championship to claim the No. 1 seed for match play. Stanford fired seven rounds of 10-under or better on the season, setting new 18- (-13, Stanford Regional), 36- (-25, Stanford Regional) and 54-hole (-28, Stanford Regional) school records.
Despite the 2019-20 season being cut short due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, Walker's squad finished the season at No. 9 in Golfweek's final rankings. It was the fifth straight season Stanford has finished in the Top 10. Lee set the program's all-time career wins mark at the time with her ninth victory to begin the season at The Molly Intercollegiate, while the Cardinal claimed a 26-shot victory at the event. Lee and Valenzuela turned pro in November 2019, joining Stackhouse, Lauren Kim and Casey Danielson on the professional circuit.
In 2018-19, Stanford advanced to the NCAA Championships for the 10th consecutive season and qualified for NCAA Match Play for the fifth straight season since the format began at the 2015 NCAA Championships. The Cardinal posted two wins (Northrop Grumann Regional Challenge, Bruin Wave Invitational) in addition to two second-place finishes and nine top-five results. Stanford did not finish below seventh in any tournament the entire season. Walker's seventh season featured much individual success, as well, as three student-athletes earned All-America and All-Pac-12 recognition, Valenzuela was named Pac-12 Golfer of the Year and Lee received the McCormack Medal, given to the world's top amateur each year.
In 2017-18, Stanford finished third or better in each of its events. The Cardinal made its ninth consecutive trip to the NCAA Championships, advancing to the match-play portion of the event for a record fourth straight year. Stanford won its first match before falling in the semifinals to eventual national champion Arizona. The Cardinal won the NCAA San Francisco Regional at TPC Harding Park by six strokes over top-ranked UCLA, representing the third straight regional title in school history and fourth overall. Shannon Aubert made her fourth NCAA Championships appearance, becoming the only player in NCAA history to compete in match play four times.
Stanford was ranked No. 1 in the nation for most of the season in 2016-17, winning five tournaments, including the NCAA Albuquerque Regional. In the NCAA Championships, the Cardinal qualified for match play and rallied for a 3-2 quarterfinal win against Baylor. Stanford surged to a 2-1 lead in the semifinals against Arizona State and had late leads in the final two matches, but couldn't hold on, falling 3-2 to the eventual champs. At the Silverado Showdown in Napa, California, the Cardinal established school records for lowest 18-hole total (-12) and lowest 54-hole total on a par-72 course (-16). Lee won three individual titles and was named the PING/WGCA National Freshman of the Year, a first for the Cardinal, and was a finalist for National Player of the Year and the Honda Sport Award for Golf. She was a PING/WGCA first team All-American, while senior Casey Danielson and freshman Valenzuela were PING/WGCA second team All-Americans. All three were selected to the All-Pac-12 first team. Danielson became the first Stanford player to receive the Dinah Shore Trophy Award presented to the nation's top collegiate player for performance, academics and community service.
In 2015-16, Walker's team came within a putt of repeating, advancing to the finals of the NCAA Championships before falling 3-2 to Washington. All-Americans Stackhouse and Kim rallied to lift the Cardinal into a 2-2 tie with Stackhouse prevailing on the second hole of sudden death. In the final match, Kim captured the last three holes to force sudden death but succumbed on the second playoff hole. Stanford qualified by tying for first with top-ranked USC in the NCAA Stanford Regional at Stanford Golf Course, marking only the second regional title in program history (2007). The Cardinal earned hard-fought 3-2 quarterfinal and semifinals victories against South Carolina and Duke, respectively, to reach the finals. Stackhouse was selected a second team WGCA All-America, marking the fourth straight year she received the distinction.
Stanford qualified for the NCAA Championships for the 30th time in 2014-15, beating Baylor 3-2 in the first-ever match play format final for women. In the deciding match, Stackhouse won the last two holes against Haley Davis to force sudden death, then parred the first hole of a sudden-death playoff to clinch the crown. Stanford defeated Pac-12 rivals Arizona and top-ranked USC to reach the finals. Walker became only the fifth coach to claim an NCAA title at Stanford in three or fewer years while also being named WGCA National Coach of the Year and Pac-12 Coach of the Year.
In 2013-14, Walker led Stanford to its first Pac-12 crown since 1999, despite six conference teams ranking among the nation’s top-11 heading into the tournament. The Cardinal produced 12 top-10 finishes during the campaign and tied for 18th at the NCAA Championships. Kim placed third overall, the best individual finish by a Stanford participant since 2007, when Sally Watson tied for ninth. Kim (seven top-10 finishes in 13 events) and Stackhouse (pair of regular seasons wins) were named WGCA First Team All-Americans. Stackhouse also sparked the United States to victory during the 2014 Curtis Cup.
During Walker’s inaugural season on The Farm in 2012-13, Stanford recorded its best finish since 2007 at the NCAA Championships by tying for 13th. The Cardinal won the Peg Barnard Invitational, Cal Classic and Juli Inkster Spartan Invitational, the most program wins since early 1980’s. Walker’s team placed fourth in the Pac-12 Championships, its highest showing since 2001. It was a notable rookie season for Stackhouse, who collected her first collegiate crown at the Peg Barnard Invitational and fired a course and NCAA women’s record 61 (10-under) at Stanford Golf Course to lead her team to victory. Stackhouse was selected a First-Team All-American, the program’s first since 1994. Watson was named the first Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year in school history.
Walker came to Stanford from UC Davis, making an immediate impact as the Aggies’ head coach for four years and overseeing the program’s transition from Division II to Division I. The Aggies won three Big West titles and advanced to a pair of NCAA Championships. Walker also led the team to its first-ever top 20 national ranking.
Walker was a three-time Big West Coach of the Year. In 2009, two of her players qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open. With her guidance, UC Davis produced three Big West Players of the Year and two Big West Freshmen of the Year. The Aggies won five tournaments and reached a national ranking of 14th during the 2011-12 season.
A native of Lanarkshire, Scotland, Walker’s coaching career began at her alma mater, California, where she was named assistant coach after earning a geography degree in 2002. She also received a master’s degree in coaching and athletic administration.
Walker was named associate head coach at California in 2007, then accepted the head coaching job at UC Davis in 2008.
As a student-athlete at California, Walker was a three-time captain for the Golden Bears and twice won individual medalist honors. She was the 2002 Pac-10 medal winner, a three-time All-Pac-10 selection and three-time WGCA All-American Scholar. In 2013, Walker was inducted into the California Athletics Hall of Fame.
Walker is married to Chris Gundling and has two daughters.