St. John's honored the legacy of the late great Solly Walker by renaming the athletic department's academic study hall in his memory. Walker, the first African-American to suit up for the Red Storm, played a key role on St. John's teams that reached the 1952 Final Four and the championship game of the 1953 NIT. After graduation, Walker embarked on a long and successful career in education, dedicating decades of his life as a teacher and principal in the New York City public school system. An unmatched ambassador for St. John's University throughout his life, Walker, who passed away in 2017 at the age of 85, always took a particular interest in the academic accomplishment of Red Storm student-athletes.
The University also celebrated the creation of the Solly Walker Academic Support Services Fund, developed and funded by the Shannon Family and dedicated to providing financial support for the continued success of St. John's student-athletes on and off the fields of competition.
