2021-22 Player Review: Cierra Walker

In the spring of 2019, Cierra Walker made a decision that paid big dividends for Gonzaga. The southpaw guard elected to transfer away from Vanderbilt University, at a time before transfer waivers were not handed out like candy, and return home to the PNW and play for Lisa Fortier.

Three years later, including one redshirt season, Walker closed the book on her collegiate career with consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament, including a second round appearance this season. Those tournament appearances, and the 50 wins that Walker contributed to during her two seasons in the starting lineup, hopefully validated that 2019 decision for Walker who only experienced 14 wins combined in her final two years at Vanderbilt before making the move to Spokane.

Walker’s arrival provided a lot of stability and leadership to the Gonzaga women over the last few seasons. Walker was the high level perimeter shooting threat—averaging 41.3% from the arc in her Gonzaga career—that Fortier was hoping for after Katie Campbell graduated, and was a steady hand alongside the Truong twins as they grew into their roles.

Perhaps the greatest of the highlights that Walker provided came on her senior night this season when she torched LMU by hitting 8 of 11 three-point attempts in just 24 minutes of play to come within one three of tying the school record for makes in a game. Walker’s sweet lefty stroke, along with her tenacious attitude on the court and positive one off of it will be sorely missed within the program. You only need to listen to Lisa Fortier’s emotional post-game press conference following the loss against Louisville in the NCAA Tournament to get a clear picture of how Gonzaga’s coach feels about Walker and her senior classmates.

While her Gonzaga career is over, it appears that Walker is hoping to continue her playing career either in the WNBA or possibly abroad as she included her name in the list of candidates for the WNBA Draft next week on April 11.

We wish her the best of luck no matter where the game takes her next.