Susan Walvius

Former women’s basketball head coach and CEO Susan Walvius returned to South Carolina in November 2025 as the senior director of women’s basketball external affairs. She brought her background in leading both a basketball team and a multi-million dollar corporation to a familiar athletics department and city to enhance the women’s basketball program in a completely different way.

As the co-founder and co-CEO of SHEEX, Inc., Walvius led the product ideation/development, strategic vision, brand development, operations, marketing and growth initiatives for the performance fabric bedding and sleepwear line. She led the company from start-up in 2008 to an eight-figure revenue, securing millions in equity capital, establishing strategic and retail partnerships, and spearheading 53 patents across 24 countries to safeguard the company’s innovations and market position.

Walvius was a women’s basketball head coach for 18 seasons across three NCAA Div. I programs, including 11 at South Carolina. She blazed a trail at each stop becoming one of the youngest head coaches in NCAA Div. I at age 25 at VCU, leading West Virginia to its first winning season in five years and taking South Carolina to its first NCAA Elite Eight appearance in 2002.

Now returning to college athletics, Walvius will play a lead role in revenue generation for the women’s basketball program and its student-athletes. Her CEO experience and proven marketing ability are assets as she develops a comprehensive strategy to maximize NIL opportunities, establishes an equitable revenue-sharing model and analyzes NIL trends to identify new pathways. Her basketball background establishes easy connection to student-athletes as she works with them on building their personal brands and conducts workshops on topics such as financial literacy, contract negotiation and brand management.

“This is a full circle moment for Susan and our program,” South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley said after adding Walvius to her staff. “She is going to be critical to our constantly evolving approach to NIL with her track record of innovative thinking in the business world. Starting with her connections to our program, the Columbia community and businesses nationally, Susan is well-positioned to lead the expansion of NIL opportunities for our student-athletes.”

Walvius’ own career as a basketball player culminated in four seasons at Virginia Tech that included a school record for career blocked shots, All-America and All-Metro Conference honors and a spot on the Hokies’ All-Decade Team. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the university in urban studies in 1986.