2015 Fall Grand Valley Magazine - (Page 9)
AT H L E T I C S
Former
assistant
returns to
women's
basketball
by Michele Coffill
The new head women's basketball
coach comes with an extensive resume
that includes starting a program from
scratch and having great familiarity with
Grand Valley.
Mike Williams was named head coach
in June, taking over for Janel Burgess.
Williams was a Laker assistant coach
for five years, including 2005-2006
when that team won the national
championship.
For the past four years, Williams was
the head coach at Davenport University
in Grand Rapids, compiling a 130-11
record. He coached the Panthers to four
NAIA national tournaments, including
one championship game appearance.
Williams said he was intrigued by
Grand Valley's job posting because of
the university's athletic successes.
"It's the best Division II school in
the country," Williams said. "Grand
Valley hires good people and keeps
good people. The combination of good
people and good facilities means that a
lot of teams have had success."
Tim Selgo, athletic director, said he
is thrilled to have Williams return to the
coaching staff.
"Mike was an integral part of our great
success, and has gone on to continued
success in coaching," Selgo said. "He
is an outstanding teacher, which is
demonstrated in the way in which his
teams play and in his ability to find
talent in recruiting."
Selgo added that he expects a
transition period when a new coach is
Mike Williams returns this season to Grand Valley to lead the women's basketball team.
He had been an assistant coach for five years, including the 2005-2006 championship.
photo by Elizabeth Lienau
introduced, although this might be a
short transition.
Williams started his new job in the
summer toward the end of the high
school recruiting cycle. He said working
at nearby Davenport meant he was
familiar with many area high school
basketball stars, and the continuity
of having four-year associate coach
Phil Sayers stay at Grand Valley made
recruiting successful.
"We also had a basketball camp at
Grand Valley, and a lot of the kids knew
who I was," he said.
The Lakers finished 20-8 last season
and lost in the GLIAC semifinals to
Michigan Tech. This season's team
returns two players, Brionna Barnett
and Kayla Dawson, who were named
to the All-GLIAC First and Second
teams, respectively.
Williams graduated from the
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
He started his coaching career at
the high school level, leading teams
in Ironwood and Hancock, both in
the Upper Peninsula. He was also an
assistant coach at Michigan Tech during
the 1988-1989 season,
and spent four years at
the University of Michigan
as an assistant coach
under then head coach
Kevin Borseth.
While in Hancock,
Williams started the
women's basketball
program at Finlandia
University, a Division III
institution.
He said the parity
of play in the GLIAC
also played a role in
attracting him back to Grand Valley.
"You can't have an off night in this
league," Williams said. "The level of
competition among all teams is great."
" Grand Valley hires good people
and keeps good people. The
combination of good people and
good facilities means that a lot
of teams have had success."
Mike Williams
The Lakers' style of play on the court
is different from what Williams ran at
Davenport. Williams said Grand Valley
is known as a perimeter team and he
had coached an up-tempo defense
at Davenport.
9
Grand Valley Magazine
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of 2015 Fall Grand Valley Magazine
Campus News
Research
Athletics
Arts
Scientific symbiosis
Focal Point
Seidman College expanding EMBA
Sailing at 1/12th scale
Same song, different verse
Q&A Lynn 'Chick' Blue
Off the path
International Education
2015 Fall Grand Valley Magazine
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