The second Florida summer session is a few weeks away. But incoming freshman McDonald’s All-American Florida power forward Chris Walker still has work to do to ensure initial eligibility for the 2013-14 season.
The 6-foot-9 Walker is still taking three academic courses online with the Florida virtual school to finish core requirements, according to his high school coach at Bonifay, Poe White. He also took the ACT for the third time last Saturday.
“He’s improved each time, from 13 to 16,” White said. “So we’re hoping with a higher test score and if he finishes his courses, he’ll be ready to go.”
Asked if Walker would be able to finish his online courses by the time the Summer B session begins July 1, White said: “It depends on how fast he works. They are online courses, but he can get them done by late June, early July.”
NCAA initial eligibility is based on a sliding scale that combines grade point average (in 16 core courses) and test scores. The minimum GPA required is 2.0 while the minimum sum test score in the ACT is 37. Walker’s scores in the ACT reflect just a partial score, not a sum score.
White said that Walker is working on individual skills in his native Bonifay but is mostly focusing on academics.
“He’s a little frustrated, but he knows in order to live out his childhood dream that he needs to keep working hard at it,” White said. “If he doesn’t make it, it won’t be for a lack of trying.”
