THE WILLIAMS FILE

Personal Information

Name: Samantha Williams
Birthday: Sept. 24, 1973
Hometown: Luverne, Ala.
High School: DuPont Manual (Louisville, Ky.)
Education: B.S. (Human Sciences), Auburn, 1996

Basketball Experience

OVERALL

Career college head coaching record is 20-33 in two seasons
Record as a college assistant is 555-167 in 21 seasons
Combined college record is 570-200 in 23 years
Has helped programs to 20 postseason berths, all NCAA Tournaments

TENNESSEE

Assistant Coach (2021-24)
Three-year record: 70-34
Three postseason appearances (3 NCAA)
2022 & 2023 NCAA Sweet 16
Coached UT's squad in the 2022 Red Bull USA Basketball 3X Nationals

EASTERN KENTUCKY

Head Coach (2019-21)
Two-year record: 20-33
Took EKU from 0-18 in the OVC the year before she arrived to 5-13 in year one and 8-12 in year two
Took the Colonels from a 2-27 record the year before she took the job to 11-18 in year one
The total victories change was the third-best turnaround in the nation and the largest win improvement by any first-year head coach

LOUISVILLE

Assistant Coach (2011-19)
Eight-year record: 235-54
Served on head coach Jeff Walz’s staff
Made NCAA Tournament all eight seasons, including two trips to the Final Four (2013 & 2018) and advancement to the Elite 8 four times and the Sweet 16 on six occasions
2013 squad finished as national runner-up
Six top-10 finishes in the national polls
Coached four WNBA Draft picks, including two first-rounders
Recruited nine McDonald’s All-Americans from 2014-17, signing the nation’s No. 1 class in 2015

DUKE

Assistant Coach (2007-11)
Four-year record: 114-26
Served on head coach Joanne P. McCallie’s staff
Made NCAA Tournament all four seasons, advancing to Elite 8 twice and Sweet 16 on three occasions
Four top-10 finishes in the national polls
Helped developed three guards who were WNBA Draft picks
Instrumental in Duke compiling three top-five recruiting classes, including the top-rated class in 2010 after a pair of fifth-ranked groups

DePAUL

Assistant Coach (2004-07)
Three-year record: 72-25
Served on head coach Doug Bruno’s staff
Helped the Blue Demons through the most successful period in school history, including three-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and the school's first NCAA Sweet 16 in 2006
Three DePaul players were drafted by WNBA teams during her time there

AUBURN

Assistant Coach (2003-04)
One-year record: 22-9
Served on three-time NCAA Coach of the Year Joe Ciampi’s staff
Team advanced to NCAA Second Round
Coached a pair of All-SEC (coaches and AP) selections in lone season

COLUMBUS STATE

Assistant Coach (2002-03)
One-year record: 28-4
Served on Jay Sparks’ staff
Won Peach Belt Conference Tournament title
Team qualified for NCAA Division II Tournament

ST. LOUIS

Assistant Coach (2001-02)
One-year record: 14-15
Served on Jill Pizzotti’s staff

One of the nation's top coaches and elite recruiters, the 2023-24 campaign was Samantha Williams' third season at Tennessee and her 23rd season in the college coaching ranks.

Arriving in Knoxville in 2021-22 after being hired by Kellie Harper, Tennessee was 25-9 overall and 11-5 in the SEC that season, finishing third in the SEC and advancing to the NCAA Sweet 16. In 2022-23, the Lady Vols were 25-12 overall and 13-3 in the SEC, again third in the league, advancing to the SEC Tournament title game and returning to the NCAA Sweet 16. The Lady Vols recorded 25 wins in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2013-14 and 2014-15, and they reached 13 SEC victories for the initial occasion since 2014-15. In addition to advancing to their first SEC Tourney title game since 2015, the Lady Vols made repeat Sweet 16 appearances for the initial time since 2014-15 and 2015-16 and were one of only seven schools to do so during those two campaigns.

In 2023-24, Tennessee was hit by untimely and devastating injuries that stymied the team's momentum, resulting in a 20-13 overall mark and 10-6 record in the league (t4th) against a schedule rated the toughest in the nation. Still, the Big Orange managed a tie for fourth in the SEC, an appearance in at least the SEC semifinals for the fourth straight year and a 42nd-consecutive berth in the NCAA Tournament.

During Williams' time at Tennessee, she helped coach three WNBA first-round picks in Rae Burrell (2022), Jordan Horston (2023) and Rickea Jackson (2024). Those players joined Rennia Davis (2021) in becoming the first Lady Vol first-round picks in four consecutive years in program history.

Horston (2022 & 2023 AP/WBCA) and Rickea Jackson (2023 AP/USBWA/WBCA & 2024 AP/USBWA/WBCA) also were All-America Honorable Mention selections under under Williams' watch.

At the league level, Williams helped coach All-SEC First-Teamers Horston (2022, 2023) and Jackson (2023, 2024); All-SEC Second-Teamer Tamari Key (2022); SEC All-Defensive Team member Key (2022); SEC All-Freshman Team honoree Sara Puckett (2022); and SEC All-Tournament Team members Dye (2022), Horston (2023) and Jackson (2023, 2024).

In the classroom, 17 Lady Vols earned a combined 30 SEC Academic Honor Roll recognitions during her three years in Knoxville. A program-best 12 of 14 Lady Vols made the honor roll in 2021-22, while nine (of 14) made it in 2023-24 and nine (of 15) in 2022-23.

Under Williams' direction, high school recruits and players in the transfer portal were drawn to a program headed by a head coach with valuable experiences as a player who reached the pinnacle at the all-time winningest program in women’s college basketball history. She helped attract seven players through the transfer portal, including key contributors Jackson, Jillian Hollingshead, Jasmine Powell and Jasmine Franklin in 2022 and the nation’s No. 6 ranked portal class in 2023 by 247Sports in Jewel Spear, Destinee Wells and Avery Strickland. No. 35 espnW 100 class of 2024 prep recruit Kaniya Boyd also joined the program in January 2024 as a mid-year enrollee.

In the May of 2022, Williams was tapped by Kellie Harper to coach UT's squad of Key, Sara Puckett, Jordan Walker and Kaiya Wynn at the 2022 Red Bull USA Basketball 3X Nationals in Springfield, Mass. She guided the Lady Vols to the quarterfinal round before they ended their stay with a 3-2 mark.

Williams, who came to Rocky Top after two seasons impressively addressing a major rebuilding job as head coach at Eastern Kentucky University, is highly-regarded for her work with backcourt players and for attracting top players to join nationally-prominent programs, just as she did as an assistant at Louisville (2011-19) and Duke (2007-11) before being chosen for the head coaching job at EKU.

At Eastern, Williams inherited a program that was 2-27 overall and 0-18 in the Ohio Valley Conference the year before she arrived, and she led the Colonels to 20 victories over the past two years. In her first season, Williams directed one of the biggest turnarounds in Division I basketball, as EKU won 11 games in 2019-20, nine more than the year before. It was the third-best turnaround in the nation and the largest win improvement by any first-year head coach.

The Colonels finished 11-18, 5-13 in the OVC, in 2019-20 and were 9-15, 8-12 in the OVC, during 2020-21’s COVID-impacted season. Williams’ final unit at EKU demonstrated continued growth and competitiveness despite a schedule that featured three ranked opponents in Louisville, Indiana and Northwestern, and a roster of 13 players, laden with seven freshmen she and her staff had recruited.

While serving as assistant head coach to Jeff Walz in Louisville from 2011-19, Williams helped guide the Cardinals to eight consecutive NCAA appearances. During her time there, Williams assisted U of L in reaching the Final Four twice, including an appearance in the 2013 national championship game, making four trips to the Elite 8 and advancing to the Sweet 16 six times. Louisville compiled a 236-55 record and six top-10 finishes in the national polls during her tenure.

In 2018-19, U of L was 32-4, earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, won a share of the Atlantic Coast Conference regular season championship for the second straight season, was ranked fifth in the nation and played in the Elite Eight.

Williams coached four WNBA Draft picks at Louisville. She also sought and signed the nation’s top-ranked recruiting class in 2015, the No. 6 ranked class in 2016 and the fourth ranked class in 2017. Between 2014 and 2017, Williams and the Louisville staff welcomed nine McDonald’s All-Americans to their program.

Assisting the backcourt players, Williams helped Louisville chart five straight years with a top-40 ranking in shooting percentage. The Cardinals ranked seventh in the nation in 2017-18 at 48.2 percent.

Prior to her time at Louisville, Williams was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Duke on Joanne P. McCallie’s staff from 2007-11. She helped the Blue Devils capture two ACC regular season championships, two ACC Tournament titles and make two appearances in the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight.

Williams was instrumental in Duke compiling three top-five recruiting classes, including the No. 1 class in the nation in 2009-10. She worked primarily with the team’s perimeter players, developing a pair of All-Americans who were picked in the first two rounds of the WNBA Draft.

While working alongside Doug Bruno at DePaul as an assistant and recruiting coordinator from 2004-07, Williams helped the Blue Demons through the most successful period in school history, including three-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and the program's first NCAA Sweet 16 berth in 2006. The program achieved a 72-25 record (.742 winning percentage) during her time in Chicago.

Prior to her stint at DePaul, the 1996 Auburn graduate returned to her alma mater and spent the 2003-04 campaign as an assistant on the Plains working alongside her college coach Joe Ciampi in his final season. The Tigers posted a 22-9 record and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, with Williams helping mentor a pair of All-SEC (coaches and AP) selections during that campaign.

Williams began her collegiate coaching career as an assistant at St. Louis during the 2001-02 season. In 2002-03 she served as an assistant coach at Columbus State University, helping the Cougars to a 28-4 record, a Peach Belt Conference regular season championship and a trip to the NCAA Tournament.

Born in Luverne, Ala., and spending her high school years in Louisville, Kentucky, Williams was a four-year starter on the court at Auburn from 1992-96, serving as co-captain as a junior and a senior. She led Auburn to three NCAA Tournament appearances, including two Sweet 16 trips and an Elite 8 berth. Williams set the program record for career three-point field goals (161), and she finished her career with 1,106 points, 495 rebounds and 323 assists.

While at Auburn, Williams played for the U.S. Junior National Team that won the bronze medal at the R. William Jones Cup in Taipei, Taiwan.

After her collegiate career, Williams played one season of professional basketball in the American Basketball League with the San Jose Lasers (1996-97).

Williams was a first-team Parade, and Street and Smith All-American, in addition to a USA Today Super 25 honoree, while playing basketball at DuPont Manual High School in Louisville.