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WSSU
gives John Williams three-year contract extension
March 18, 2005
Winston-Salem, NC - Winston-Salem
State University Director of Athletics, Dr. Chico Caldwell
has announced that Head Women’s Basketball Coach John
Williams has been given a three-year contract extension that
will take him through the 2007-08 basketball season.
Williams just finished his third season with the Lady Ram
basketball program since coming to WSSU prior to the 2002-03
season from Wallace Community College in Selma, AL where he
served as head men’s and women’s basketball coaches.
While serving as head coach at WCCS he received coach of the
year honors twice in 1998 and again in 2000. In 1995-96 season
Williams served as head men’s basketball coach at Alabama
State University. Coach Williams received his first head coaching
job at Savannah State University in 1990 and continued through
1995. In 1987 Coach Williams served as assistant basketball
coach at North Carolina A & T State University until leaving
in 1990. While serving as assistant coach he help guide the
Aggies to a 21-0 conference record and a berth in the NCAA
Tournament in 1988. Coach Williams got his first coaching job
at South Carolina State University in 1983 and stayed until
1987. Williams was a standout player while in high school and
college. He received his B.S. degree in Business Administration
in 1982 from the University of West Alabama in Livingston,
Alabama and received his M.S. degree in Education in 1986 from
South Carolina State University.
In three seasons at the head of the WSSU women’s basketball
program, Williams has an overall record of 43-40 for a winning
percentage of 52.1% and has coached two players that were named
All-CIAA performers.
Commenting on the contract extension, WSSU Director of Athletics,
Dr. Chico Caldwell had the following comment:
“At the end of this season, as we do at the end of every
season, Coach Williams and I sat down and had an end-of-year
performance review. At the end of this season, I reviewed with
Coach Williams the areas that need to be improved, as well
as the things that I feel that he is doing an excellent job
with. Having addressed all of these areas, I feel that at this
time, John Williams is the coach that will take our program
to the next level as we transition to NCAA Division I. Throughout
Coach Williams’ time here with WSSU, there has never
been an issue with the student status of his players. He demands
academic success, and demands that his players attend class
and fulfill all the responsibilities of being both a student
and an athlete. His teams have done well in the classroom and
on the court, and this past season, he guided the Lady Rams
to the CIAA semi-finals for the first time since 2001-02. He
uses basketball to teach his players for life. He has done
an outstanding job recruiting during his tenure here as well.
In the areas of game preparation, as well as in skills development,
I feel that we will continue to look for improvements. However,
when we looked at the complete picture, and as we look to the
future of our women’s basketball program, we knew that,
at this time, in the best interest of our program we needed
to retain Coach Williams, and he has accepted a three-year
extension to his contract. We at WSSU are looking forward to
the continued success of our program under Coach Williams as
we continue to strive to be the best team that we can be, and
produce the best quality of student-athlete at WSSU.”
After agreeing to his extension, Williams said, “I am
just happy to put this past season behind me, and I am looking
forward to the upcoming season. We are excited about our team
that comes back next season, and we are going to be very competitive.
I am thankful for the support that I have had since I have
been here, and I look forward to much more in the future. I
appreciate the vote of confidence from Dr. Caldwell and want
to help take this program to the heights that we know we can
reach.”
Williams’s contract extension will take effect starting
April 1st, 2005 and will continue through the completion of
the 2007-08 season.
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