Fort Valley State University (FVSU) today announced the appointment of Andrea Williams as head coach of the woman’s basketball team. Williams has built a successful career coaching at every NCAA collegiate level over 24 years, and brings her wealth of experience and insight to the university as FVSU Athletics gears up for a winning basketball season. Most recently, Williams coached on the staff of two NCAA Division I schools — Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) in Fort Wayne, Indiana (Summit League) and Oakland University in Michigan (Horizon League).
Teams coached by Williams have defeated major collegiate programs and launched the professional careers of players she has mentored. She is no stranger to postseason and tournament play, having helped coach teams, which made it to the NCAA Division II national tournament and the NCAA Division II Elite Eight, in addition to an NCAA Division I WNIT championship.
“Fort Valley State University welcomes Andrea Williams as a coach and mentor who will position our women’s basketball team members for victory on the court, in the classroom, and in the community,” said Anthony Holloman, vice president for university advancement and interim athletics director. “Her depth and breadth of experience are unmatched, and we look forward to her leading our re-emergence as a championship program.”
Affectionately known as “Coach A,” Williams also served as the head coach of the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA) women’s basketball program. While she was a coach of the USAFA Falcons, the team defeated nationally-ranked teams, including Colorado State University, University of Nevada-Las Vegas, Fresno State, and Boise State. Prior to her work at USAFA, she served as an assistant coach at the University of South Florida, Jacksonville University, the U.S. Naval Academy and the University of Tampa. At Jacksonville University, Williams was part of the Dolphins coaching staff which defeated talented teams including the University of Miami, University of Florida, and Florida Gulf Coast University. She began her coaching career at the Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, followed by a head coaching role at Waynesburg University in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania.
“I’m looking forward to working with the women on the team, bringing in more recruits, and continuing the powerful tradition of winning women’s basketball teams at Fort Valley State University,” said Coach Williams. “We’ll achieve success in the SIAC by bringing everyone together, being unified, and working towards the same goal. We will also focus on ensuring that our players are strong academically, and then can put everything together on the court.”