When Wesleyan College went looking for a women's basketball coach, they brought in a guy who used to call this area home.
Mike Walton hooped it up and played football at Mount De Sales and then continued his athletic career at Rice University.
Mike's happy he's in familiar territory, but he's got a challenge in front of him, to turn around a program that's not used to many triumphs.
The pre-game chat with the Pioneers happens in a dark corner of Porter Gym at Wesleyan College.
Like many things with the athletic program there is room for improvement.
Head Coach Mike Walton figures he can help to turn the tide at Wesleyan since he's in an area that he grew up in.
"This is home so this is where my support system is and my wife's family is here," Walton explained.
He can use all the support he can get. Right now the squad has barely enough players to field a team.
"We only have six players... we don't have a backup point guard so you gotta be in the game, "Mike preached to his team during a contest.
Mike knew he wasn't stepping into an easy situation. The Wesleyan basketball team hasn't had a winning record in over a decade, but things might be changing. Athletic director Patty Gibbs says there is $1.2 million in the capitol campaign to fix things like Porter Gym also sports and the success of the Pioneers is now in the strategic plan.
"You know they say when things hit rock bottom is when things turn around and I think that's where we are," Walton admitted.
They have started to claw their way towards a little respect.
In the last two weeks, the Pioneers have picked up two wins, both against Salem College, which is in the Great South Athletic Conference, which snapped a 52 game losing conference schedule.
It's a small step, but Mike says getting a program back on track is all about building blocks.
"I think there is a commitment being made internally and institutionally to press for us to build not only this basketball program but athletics as a whole," Walton said.
Mike says he hopes to really make a difference with the program when he gets out and starts recruiting this spring.
The Pioneers do play at Porter Gym Thursday night against Taccoa at six. It's free to sit in the stands. The last time these two tangled, Wesleyan lost by only four in the first game of the year.