The Sun Devil men's golf program and head coach Matt Thurmond have welcomed Van Williams to the staff as assistant coach.
Williams comes to ASU from Oregon, where he helped the Ducks to the NCAA team and individual (Aaron Wise) titles in 2016. He joined Oregon in 2013 and his background includes prep and collegiate experience, as well as experience as a recruiting coordinator at the collegiate level.
"I've watched Van up close now for a few years," notes new Sun Devil head coach Matt Thurmond, a three-time Pac-12 champion and the 2009 Golfweek National Coach of the Year. "He is a special person and coach and really connects with his players in ways that few can. He has a deep interest in them and a knack for bringing out their best on and off the course. I'm excited to have him partner with us and to work together to make this Sun Devil Golf experience the best years of our young men's lives."
In his time at Oregon Williams helped head coach Casey Martin develop six All-Pac-12 players, as Wise became the fifth Duck to earn first-team All-America honors, and the first since 2012. He also help guide Wise (2015) and Thomas Lim (2014) to the All-Pac-12 Freshman Team, and Lim also earned Golf Coaches Association of America All-Region selection in 2014.
"I want to thank Coach Thurmond and the Sun Devil Athletic Department for the opportunity to continue to grow and learn as a coach under their leadership," says Williams. "I am humbled and honored to join the Sun Devil athletic family and golf program that includes 12 Pac-12 titles, two NCAA titles and an incredible list of individual honors and awards."
In his three years as an assistant at Oregon, Williams helped guide the Ducks to three NCAA Championship appearances, including the 2016 title, as well as eight total tournament titles.
During the 2014-15 season, Williams helped coach the Ducks to five tournament victories, the second-most wins in a season in program history, as Wise took home two individual tournament titles at the Ka'anapali Classic and Desert Mountain Intercollegiate, while Lim collected a title of his own at the Nike Golf Collegiate Invitational. The Ducks finished second at the 2016 Pac-12 Championship and competed at the NCAA Championships for a second consecutive season.
In his first season with the Ducks, Williams helped pilot the squad to a title at the Desert Intercollegiate and the team had seven top-five finishes, including a second-place finish at NCAA Regionals. The Ducks finished 14th at the NCAA Championships.
Williams was the head coach at Wake Tech Community College from 2011-13. He led the Eagles to their first National Junior College Athletic Association ranking after the NJCAA Tournament in 2013. He also guided Ryan Gilbert to a third-place finish and the title of 2013 Region X Medalist at the NJCAA Tournament in 2013. In his first two seasons at the helm, Williams successfully recruited a pair of top-10 recruits.
In addition to his coaching experience, Williams served as a caddie for Casey Martin (2001-04) on the PGA and Nationwide tours. Martin's best finish during Williams' tenure as a caddie was a tie for third at the 2002 LaSalle Bank Open.
Aside from coaching men's and women's golf, Williams has picked up experience coaching basketball. In 2009, he helped start the men's basketball program at Wake Tech and was the school's first head men's basketball coach. Williams was named the 2013 NJCAA Region X Coach of the Year when Wake Tech accumulated a 24-9 record and was a runner-up at the Division II Region X finals. The Eagles were also ranked for the first time in program history that year climbing as high as 17th. Williams also coached a pair of North Carolina East/West All-Star selections.
Four of Wake Tech's players moved on playing at the Division I level. The most notable of the four was Lamont Middleton, who signed with North Carolina A&T. Middleton helped guide the Aggies to a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament championship and a spot in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. North Carolina A&T lost to Louisville, the eventual national champions, in the first round.
Prior to joining Wake Tech, Williams started his career as an associate men's basketball coach at Cape Fear Community College for two years (2006-08). During his time with the Sea Devils, Williams was in charge of player development as well as serving as the tournament director for the 2008 men's and women's NJCAA Region X Division I Basketball Tournament.
Williams then moved on as an assistant men's basketball coach at his alma mater, Shaw University, where he was in charge of player development and conditioning. During his stint at Shaw, Williams recruited two All-CIAA players.
He was a two-sport athlete at Southeastern University (1998-2000) where he was a two-year starter for the basketball team, while also playing golf. As a member of the golf team he earned an individual medal at the Clearwater Christian College Invitational in 1999. The North Carolina native then moved to Shaw University where he helped lead the basketball team to the 2002 NCAA Division II Final Four in Evansville, Ind. During that historic season, the Bears compiled a 28-5 record, winning the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Eastern Division, the CIAA Tournament and the NCAA Division II South-Athletic Regional Championship.
In his final season, Williams led the league in 3-point field goals per game and was seventh in Division II in 3-pointers made per game (3.65). In his first year at SU, Williams was named to the CIAA All-Rookie Team.
Williams comes to ASU from Oregon, where he helped the Ducks to the NCAA team and individual (Aaron Wise) titles in 2016. He joined Oregon in 2013 and his background includes prep and collegiate experience, as well as experience as a recruiting coordinator at the collegiate level.
"I've watched Van up close now for a few years," notes new Sun Devil head coach Matt Thurmond, a three-time Pac-12 champion and the 2009 Golfweek National Coach of the Year. "He is a special person and coach and really connects with his players in ways that few can. He has a deep interest in them and a knack for bringing out their best on and off the course. I'm excited to have him partner with us and to work together to make this Sun Devil Golf experience the best years of our young men's lives."
In his time at Oregon Williams helped head coach Casey Martin develop six All-Pac-12 players, as Wise became the fifth Duck to earn first-team All-America honors, and the first since 2012. He also help guide Wise (2015) and Thomas Lim (2014) to the All-Pac-12 Freshman Team, and Lim also earned Golf Coaches Association of America All-Region selection in 2014.
"I want to thank Coach Thurmond and the Sun Devil Athletic Department for the opportunity to continue to grow and learn as a coach under their leadership," says Williams. "I am humbled and honored to join the Sun Devil athletic family and golf program that includes 12 Pac-12 titles, two NCAA titles and an incredible list of individual honors and awards."
In his three years as an assistant at Oregon, Williams helped guide the Ducks to three NCAA Championship appearances, including the 2016 title, as well as eight total tournament titles.
During the 2014-15 season, Williams helped coach the Ducks to five tournament victories, the second-most wins in a season in program history, as Wise took home two individual tournament titles at the Ka'anapali Classic and Desert Mountain Intercollegiate, while Lim collected a title of his own at the Nike Golf Collegiate Invitational. The Ducks finished second at the 2016 Pac-12 Championship and competed at the NCAA Championships for a second consecutive season.
In his first season with the Ducks, Williams helped pilot the squad to a title at the Desert Intercollegiate and the team had seven top-five finishes, including a second-place finish at NCAA Regionals. The Ducks finished 14th at the NCAA Championships.
Williams was the head coach at Wake Tech Community College from 2011-13. He led the Eagles to their first National Junior College Athletic Association ranking after the NJCAA Tournament in 2013. He also guided Ryan Gilbert to a third-place finish and the title of 2013 Region X Medalist at the NJCAA Tournament in 2013. In his first two seasons at the helm, Williams successfully recruited a pair of top-10 recruits.
In addition to his coaching experience, Williams served as a caddie for Casey Martin (2001-04) on the PGA and Nationwide tours. Martin's best finish during Williams' tenure as a caddie was a tie for third at the 2002 LaSalle Bank Open.
Aside from coaching men's and women's golf, Williams has picked up experience coaching basketball. In 2009, he helped start the men's basketball program at Wake Tech and was the school's first head men's basketball coach. Williams was named the 2013 NJCAA Region X Coach of the Year when Wake Tech accumulated a 24-9 record and was a runner-up at the Division II Region X finals. The Eagles were also ranked for the first time in program history that year climbing as high as 17th. Williams also coached a pair of North Carolina East/West All-Star selections.
Four of Wake Tech's players moved on playing at the Division I level. The most notable of the four was Lamont Middleton, who signed with North Carolina A&T. Middleton helped guide the Aggies to a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament championship and a spot in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. North Carolina A&T lost to Louisville, the eventual national champions, in the first round.
Prior to joining Wake Tech, Williams started his career as an associate men's basketball coach at Cape Fear Community College for two years (2006-08). During his time with the Sea Devils, Williams was in charge of player development as well as serving as the tournament director for the 2008 men's and women's NJCAA Region X Division I Basketball Tournament.
Williams then moved on as an assistant men's basketball coach at his alma mater, Shaw University, where he was in charge of player development and conditioning. During his stint at Shaw, Williams recruited two All-CIAA players.
He was a two-sport athlete at Southeastern University (1998-2000) where he was a two-year starter for the basketball team, while also playing golf. As a member of the golf team he earned an individual medal at the Clearwater Christian College Invitational in 1999. The North Carolina native then moved to Shaw University where he helped lead the basketball team to the 2002 NCAA Division II Final Four in Evansville, Ind. During that historic season, the Bears compiled a 28-5 record, winning the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Eastern Division, the CIAA Tournament and the NCAA Division II South-Athletic Regional Championship.
In his final season, Williams led the league in 3-point field goals per game and was seventh in Division II in 3-pointers made per game (3.65). In his first year at SU, Williams was named to the CIAA All-Rookie Team.