Joe Williams
Biographical details
Born1934 (1934)[1]
Died (aged 88)
Enterprise, Mississippi, U.S.
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1964[2]–1970Jacksonville
1970–1978Furman
1978–1986Florida State
Head coaching record
Overall336–231
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
NCAA Regional—Final Four (1970)
3 SoCon regular season (1974, 1975, 1977)
5 SoCon tournament (1971, 1973–1975, 1978)
Awards
SoCon Coach of the Year (1973)

Joe Williams (1934 – March 26, 2022) was an American men's college basketball coach. He was the head coach at Jacksonville University from 1964 to 1970, Furman University from 1970 to 1978, and Florida State University from 1978 to 1986.

Career

Williams notably led Artis Gilmore and the Dolphins of Jacksonville University to the final game of the 1970 NCAA tournament, where they lost 80–69 to Sidney Wicks and the UCLA Bruins, coached by John Wooden.[3]

During his eight-year tenure (1970-1978) at Furman, the Paladins made it to the NCAA Tournament five times (1970–71, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1974–75 and 1977–78); won the Southern Conference Tournament five times (1970–71, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1974–75 and 1977–78) and the regular-season SoCon title three times (1973–74, 1974–75 and 1976–77).

During his lifetime, Williams was one of only 25 head coaches to have led three different teams to the NCAA tournament.[4] He is a 1994 inductee of the Jacksonville University athletic hall of fame,[5] and a 1996 inductee of the Furman University Athletic Hall of Fame.[6]

Personal life

Williams' son, Blake, was an assistant basketball coach at Furman University in 2010.[7] A nephew, Brian Johnson, is an MLB pitcher.[8] Williams died on March 26, 2022, from cancer at the age of 88.[9]

See also

References

  1. ^ Barnes, Craig (January 29, 1986). "Williams Quits as Pressure Builds at FSU". Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
  2. ^ Vertuno, Jim (March 26, 2022). "Joe Williams, coached Jacksonville to NCAA title game, dies". Associated Press. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  3. ^ Berghaus, Bob (March 12, 2015). "When college hoops had Maravich, UCLA and Jacksonville". Asheville Citizen-Times. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
  4. ^ Brooks, Sam (March 26, 2022). "Former Hall of Fame Furman University men's basketball coach dies". WYFF. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  5. ^ "Joe Williams". Retrieved April 7, 2019.
  6. ^ "Furman University Athletic Hall of Fame". furmanpaladins.com. Archived from the original on April 7, 2019. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
  7. ^ "Furman's Strong Promoted To Associate Head Coach, Williams Joins Paladins Staff". furmanpaladins.com. May 13, 2010. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  8. ^ Smith, Christopher (July 24, 2015). "Boston Red Sox LHP Brian Johnson shares 10 fun facts about himself -- from family to baseball". masslive.com. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
  9. ^ "Williams, coach of NCAA finalist Jacksonville, dies". March 26, 2022.


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