Reigning Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year Jeff Williams enters his eighth season at the helm of the La Salle women’s basketball program in 2017-18.
Williams guided the Explorers to their best season since 2006-07 with 17 wins while Amy Griffin earned A-10 All-Conference First Team honors and Jasmine Alston was named to the All-Defensive Team. Griffin also became the 25
th player in program history to score 1,000 career points and earned a spot on the Dawn Staley Award Mid-Season Watch List.
Under Williams’ tutelage in 2015-16, Amy Griffin led the A-10 in scoring with 17.7 points per game on the way to All-Atlantic 10 Third Team and All-Big 5 First Team honors. Micahya Owens also became the 24th Explorer in program history to score 1,000 career points.
The Explorers advanced to the A-10 Quarterfinal in 2014-15 for the third time under Williams while Alicia Cropper and Micahya Owens were named to All-Big 5 Postseason teams. Jasmine Alston also secured a spot on the Atlantic 10 All-Defensive team after leading the league in steals.
Williams’ 2013-14 squad turned heads, as the Explorers posted the most Atlantic 10 wins (9) since the 1996-97 season and earned a No. 7 seed in the Atlantic 10 Championship. His squad topped three of the league’s top six seeds over the course of the regular season, including wins over all four A-10 teams that earned WNIT bids. Williams’ squad led the Atlantic 10 in scoring defense, field goal percent defense and three-point field goal percent defense in league play. La Salle placed two players on Atlantic 10 postseason teams, including All-Conference Second Team pick Alicia Cropper and All-Rookie Team selection Micahya Owens. Cropper also earned Philadelphia Big 5 First Team honors.
In Williams' third year on 20th and Olney in 2012-13, two players under his watch earned Philadelphia Big 5 honors. Brittany Wilson was a First Teamer and also the city's scoring champion, averaging 18.3 ppg, and Shanel Harrison earned Second Team honors.
He brought the Explorers to back-to-back Atlantic 10 Tournament berths in 2011 and 2012, advancing to the second round in 2012. His 2011-12 squad went .500 in A-10 play, knocking off Xavier for the first time in eight years and then toppling the Musketeers again in the A-10 tournament. The Explorers put together a six-game win streak, the best since 2005-06, and started league play 3-0 for the first time since 1996-97.
Under his tutelage, Wilson picked up All-Big 5 First Team and Atlantic 10 Third Team honors and Jada Payne was named Atlantic 10 All- Rookie.
In the first year of Williams’ tenure, the Explorers went 6-8 in the conference and qualified for the Atlantic 10 Tournament. Individual accomplishments included senior Ashley Gale being named to the Atlantic 10 Second Team and All-Defensive Team, while earning the league's 'Most Improved Player' award, and also earned All-Big 5 First Team honors. Jess Koci earned Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team honors after being one of the league's top rebounders as a freshman.
Williams spent the prior seven seasons at the University of Pittsburgh, including the last four as the Associate Head Coach. Williams helped guide the Panthers to postseason appearances in the past five seasons, including three straight NCAA Tournament trips with Sweet Sixteen showings in 2008 and 2009. He was formally introduced at a press conference on Wednesday, March 23, 2010 and became the program's eighth head coach.
"I am very excited to begin my head coaching career at La Salle University," Williams said upon his hire in July 2010. "I hope to create an exciting environment for our student-athletes. I know it will be a challenge to compete in the Atlantic 10, which boast some of the top coaches and programs in the country. But my vision is to bring La Salle to national prominence. I feel that I have the unwavering support of La Salle President Brother Michael McGinniss, and Director of Athletics, Dr. Tom Brennan. This is the beginning of a new era for La Salle women's basketball and I'm up to the challenge."
Williams has nearly 20 years of college coaching experience, including six as a women's basketball coach at Howard (1995-2000), Georgia Tech (2001-03) and Pittsburgh (2003-10). He recruited or coached six players who reached the WNBA, including Pitt All-American Shavonte Zellous, who was named to the WNBA all-rookie team in 2009. Three of his recruiting classes have been ranked in the top 15 nationally and his teams have reached seven NCAA and three WNIT Tournaments.
"Jeff Williams is an impressive individual," Director of Athletics Dr. Tom Brennan said. "He has great experience as a women's basketball coach and has been a significant contributor to the development of programs at the University of Pittsburgh, Georgia Tech and Howard University. Jeff is also a strong proponent of the student-athlete concept."
Under the tutelage of head coach Agnus Berenato, Williams helped Pittsburgh to unprecedented success during his seven-year tenure. Williams recruited and signed a pair of players--Zellous and Philadelphia's Marcedes Walker (University City HS)--who would provide the most successful run in the program's history. Two years after a six-win first season, the staff led the Panthers to a then school-record 22 wins and WNIT appearance in 2005-06.
In 2006-07, the Panthers broke the school record for wins (24) and advanced to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in program history. The success rewarded Pittsburgh with its first national ranking in the Associated Press poll in nearly 20 years.
Walker earned All-Region honors for the second straight year in 2007-08, leading Pitt to its first NCAA Sweet Sixteen and tying the school record with 24 wins. The team also defeated a top 10 opponent for the first time in program history and captured four wins over top 15 teams that season. Walker, who Williams worked with directly when he coached the post players, became the second player in program history to accumulate over 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.
One season later, the Panthers returned to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen and won 25 games, marking the fourth straight year the team had tied or broken the school record. Pitt was ranked #14 in the final AP ranking, its highest in program history. Zellous was named an AP All-American and was the school's first WNBA draft pick, going #11 overall to the Detroit Shock.
This past season, Pitt reached the WNIT, making it a program-record five straight postseason appearances.
Williams first worked with Berenato at Georgia Tech. There he helped lead the Yellow Jackets to their second-ever NCAA trip in 2003 after a WNIT appearance in 2002. He coached a pair of future WNBA players at Georgia Tech--Kasha Terry and Sonya Mallory.
For two straight seasons, he helped bring in a nationally ranked recruiting class, including two Street & Smith's All-America honorees. Both classes were ranked in the top 15 nationally.
He spent the five previous seasons at Howard, where he led the Bison to four league titles and three NCAA Tournament appearances as the associate head coach. His 1997-98 recruiting class was ranked #12 nationally. Williams recruited Andrea Gardner, who led the nation in rebounding in 2000, and coached the school's first two WNBA players - Gardner and Denique Graves, from Philadelphia's University City High School.
Williams also has professional coaching experience, coaching the Atlanta Justice of the National Women's Basketball League (NWBL) in 2000-01, leading the team to the league title.
A 1987 graduate of Howard with a degree in therapeutic recreation, Williams also was an assistant coach for the men's teams at George Mason (1989-93) and South Carolina State (1987-89).
Williams is married to the former Tamecia McCoy and has one daughter, Montana, and a son McCoy Zachary.
What They Are Saying About Jeff Williams
Steve Pederson, Director of Athletics, University of Pittsburgh "Jeff Williams has been a key component in the re-building of the Pittsburgh women's basketball program. We will always be grateful for all that he did during his tenure at Pitt. While we are sorry to see him leave, we are excited for him to have this great opportunity. The entire La Salle community will enjoy Coach Williams, Tamecia, and McCoy."
Agnus Berenato, Head Women's Basketball Coach, University of Pittsburgh "I want to thank Jeff for everything over the past nine years. He has basketball knowledge, recruiting skills, understands player personnel, believes in academics and is loyal. Jeff not only loves the game but he loves being an educator to his student-athletes. I am grateful for everything Jeff has done for me and La Salle could not have made a better hire."
C. Vivian Stringer, Head Women's Basketball Coach, Rutgers University "Jeff Williams is a tireless competitor and a tremendous recruiter. He possesses all the intangibles -above all, character and a true passion for the game - that will ensure success at La Salle University. Jeff has paid his dues and worked in all phases of the game. The word that best describes him is excellent. I have always been impressed with Jeff and anytime I see a head coach opening, one of the first names that comes to mind is his. He will make an outstanding head coach and I have no doubt he and La Salle are a terrific fit."
Shavonte Zellous, Pittsburgh All-American and 2009 WNBA All-Rookie Team with Detroit Shock "I love Coach Williams to death. He is like a father-figure to me and he helped me with my game to get it to the next level. Coach will make a great head coach and I am so happy for him. La Salle made a great choice and I will have to get to some games next season!"
Jamie Dixon, Head Men's Basketball Coach, University of Pittsburgh "Jeff is a hardworking and consummate professional with an undying commitment to his players. Jeff and La Salle University will be a great team."
Mary Ellen Wydan, Asst. AD/Compliance & Student Services/Senior Women's Administrator, La Salle University "We are delighted to have Jeff join the La Salle family. We believe that his well-rounded resume and varied experience will bring the same type of success to La Salle that he has had at every school during his career."
