In Remembrance: Former Blackburn Head Coach Mike Williams

Former Blackburn College Women's Basketball Coach Mike Williams passed away on Wednesday, July 28 in Decatur, Illinois. Williams was the Head Women's Basketball Coach from 2007-2011. His impact at Blackburn was immediate as he inherited a team that went 3-22 overall the previous season to lead the Beavers to a 9-7 in St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) record in his first year. Williams' first recruit was former All-SLIAC standout Sierra Shipley from Waukegan, Illinois.

"Coach Williams coached at the rival high school my senior season and I was his first recruit to Blackburn. Coach's biggest strength was he had such a big heart, he cared and took interest in all of us as players and was always there to help in any way possible," said Shipley. 

In just his second season, Williams' team qualified for the conference tournament, going 10-6 in the league and improving to 12 wins in the regular season. The following season, 2009-10, his team went 15-12 in the regular season and 12-4 in SLIAC play. The Beavers defeated Webster University in the conference tournament semi-finals before falling to Fontbonne University in the championship game. William's teams were known for playing very hard being ultra-competitive and the success was certainly shown in those first three years.

Williams also coached cross country and in his final season added Mark Hopping as his assistant coach.

"Mike taught me a lot of what it was like to coach college athletes and I'm still coaching college athletes ten years later," said Hopping.

Current Athletic Director John Malin was the director of admissions during Williams' tenure.

"Mike was a heckuva a recruiter and great coach during his time at Blackburn, he did a great job here," said Malin.

Williams was a two-time SLIAC Coach of the Year, including in his first season. He coached four all-conference players including three-time first-team selection Shipley as well as Kariann Hill and Aerial Hawkey. His recruiting prowess was seen immediately as Shipley and Hawkey were both named the conference newcomers of the year in back to back seasons.

"Coach was so caring that he would invite players to his home for meals when we couldn't get home during holidays as well as being a sounding board for players for anything to academics, basketball or life. He was like a surrogate father to many of us and will be dearly missed" added Shipley.  

Williams came to Blackburn after serving as Head Coach at Zion-Benton High School in the north suburbs of Chicago. Williams was a graduate of North Park University where he excelled in basketball and is in tenth place all-time for field goal percentage in a season at .584 in 1989. Basketball was certainly in Mike Williams DNA. Williams was the Head Girls Basketball Coach at Decatur MacArthur High School at the time of his passing and his loss is felt in all the places he coached.

STORY COURTESY OF BLACKBURN COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION