Posted: Aug 01, 2023
From Washington University Athletics
After a season filled with success both on and off the track, Washington University in St. Louis Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs & John M. Schael Director of Athletics Anthony J. Azama announced that the interim tag has been removed for Ray Williams.
After serving as the interim assistant coach for the 2022-23 campaign, Williams has been elevated to the Associate Head Track and Field Coach.
"Thrilled to have Ray joining our staff," said Head Coach Jeff Stiles. "He brings unprecedented passion and experience. I am looking forward to not only working with him, but learning from him as well."
"I would like to thank Coach Jeff Stiles for allowing me to work alongside him this past season, and the warm welcome my family and I have received from the WashU community. We are excited about the promotion, and I look forward to wearing the Red and Green with pride each day as this is a great place to work and an amazing place to win!" exclaimed Williams.
Under the guidance of Williams, the WashU women's track and field team earned the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Program of the Year award in June. Williams spearheaded the Bears' efforts with a second-place finish at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships and a third-place finish at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
The historic season was capped off with three NCAA Championship event victories. The women's distance medley relay team won the NCAA title with a time of 11:35.09. Senior Emma Kelley captured a pair of event wins, both in the 800m. Kelley won the indoor championship with a mark of 2:06.62 and crossed the finish line in the outdoor 800m with a time of 2:06.47.
Additionally, WashU produced 30 USTFCCCA All-Americans in the 2022-23 season. The women's team welcomed 11 indoor All-American's and 14 outdoor All-American's. The men's program saw five indoor All-American's.
Outside of the track, the women's program generated four College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-Americans, which tied for the most in Division III. Furthermore, WashU welcomed
37 student-athletes on the USTFCCCA All-Academic teams. The women's team landed 24, while the men's program notched 13 NCAA Division III USTFCCCA All-Academic Team selections.
"Coach Williams' experience at all levels of the NCAA coupled with his passion for the sport will have a positive impact in the development and growth of our competitive student-athletes", said Azama.
"Coach Williams' experience at all levels of the NCAA coupled with his passion for the sport will have a positive impact in the development and growth of our competitive student-athletes", said Azama.
Williams came to WashU following a brief stint at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas, where he served as the assistant women's cross country and track and field coach. While at UNLV, he was the academic liaison and recruited both domestically and internationally. Additionally, Williams developed, organized and implemented a strength program and all practice sessions for sprints, hurdles and relays.
Prior to his time at UNLV, Williams was an assistant men's and women's cross country and track and field coach at Texas State University. In addition to recruiting and developing a strength program there, he also served as a facilitator for student-athlete development and diversity and inclusion, maintained the majority of the team's total operating budget and served as the meet director for all home meets.
Williams began his coaching career at the University of Chicago in 1997 and has since had stops at Western Michigan University, the University of Detroit-Mercy, Marquette University, Grand Valley State University, the University of Mississippi, Lincoln University, Texas State and UNLV.
Williams completed his degree in Sociology at North Central in 1995 and went on to earn his master's degree in Education, College Student Affairs Leadership in 2009 from Grand Valley State.