Buzz Williams

     Buzz Williams has proven that hard work, determination and an eye for details are key aspects in building an elite-level collegiate basketball program. The head coach of the men’s squad begins his fifth season in Blacksburg and has the Hokies poised to continue their growth as a program in the toughest conference in college basketball. He and his staff take a simplistic, yet very effective approach – “Get Better.”

     Though his program has earned growing acclaim nationally, Williams does not focus on such external praise. He wakes up every morning with a sense of purpose to make the Hokies the best that they can be.

     On Jan. 29, 2017, the Hokies defeated Boston College, 85-79, to give Williams his 200th career victory. Now beginning his 12th season as a collegiate head coach, Williams has an overall record of 227-146. Williams has compiled a 74-60 record through his fourth season in Blacksburg.

     To cap off the 2017-18 season, the Hokies made a second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, the first time the school could claim that in more than three decades. The Hokies finished the season 21-12 overall and 10-8 in the ACC. Tech made it three consecutive 20-win season and three consecutive 10-win ACC seasons.

     The Hokies took care of business in the regular season. They defeated four nationally-ranked teams for the first time in school history, including three wins against top 10 programs. The Hokies also finished 11-2 in the non-conference regular season slate.

     The 2016-17 season was their most successful season in the last decade. Tech finished the season 22-11 overall and earned its first NCAA Tournament bid since 2007. Tech was 10-8 in the ACC regular season for the second consecutive season. The Hokies claimed three top 25 victories against ACC foes and finished with an impressive 11-1 record in non-conference regular season action.

     Williams led the Hokies through many of the usual obstacles that beset college basketball programs each season. Injuries were one such obstacle, but the Hokies weathered the injuries and continued to achieve. Towards the end of the season, with just a handful of healthy bodies, Tech thrived and earned its at-large NCAA Tournament berth through its efforts.

     In his second season, the Hokies were one of the most improved teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference and the NCAA. Predicted, once again, to reside near the bottom of the league standings, the Hokies finished with a 20-15 overall record under Williams, including a 10-8 mark in the ACC. Tech advanced to the second round of the 2016 NIT, defeating Princeton at home in overtime before falling at BYU two days later. 

     In his inaugural season at Virginia Tech, Williams led the Hokies to an 11-22 overall record. He began building the culture that would allow the Hokies to enjoy future successes. The team went a long ways toward establishing an identity – one predicated on hard work, accountability both on and off the court and playing with a tough, competitive nature.

      “The continued growth of our basketball program under Buzz Williams has been dramatic and noticeable on a national level,” Virginia Tech Director of Athletics Whit Babcock said. “With the daily mantra of ‘Get Better’, this program has accomplished so much in his time in Blacksburg. Buzz recruits and develops responsible, respectful student athletes who achieve and are successful on the court and in our community. Our future is very bright under Buzz’s leadership”

     Recruiting is the lifeblood of any intercollegiate athletics program, and Williams has led the Hokies to new heights in this area. While he has been able to attract elite recruits, he is less focused on national perception and more focused on finding what he likes to call, “OKGs”, or “our kind of guys.”

     Williams came to Virginia Tech following six seasons as the head coach of the Marquette Golden Eagles. At Marquette, he had a record of 139-69 and led the team to five NCAA Tournament appearances, including a trip to the regional finals in the 2012-13 season – the same season that the team won the Big East Conference regular-season title. Williams led the Golden Eagles to a 69-39 Big East Conference record during his time in Milwaukee. During Williams’ tenure, six Marquette players made it to the NBA.

     Williams was an assistant at Marquette during the 2007-08 season. MU concluded the year 25-10 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2003.

     His coaching career has included stints as an assistant, associate head and head coach. He has been at the NCAA Division I level for 21 seasons, and 2018-19 will mark his 12th campaign as a head coach. Williams has recruited and coached more than 20 players who have earned all-conference accolades, including two league Players of the Year, two conference Freshmen of the Year and four Associated Press All-Americans.

     Williams arrived in Milwaukee after serving for one season as the head coach at the University of New Orleans. He guided the Privateers to a 14-win campaign in 2006-07. His roster featured Bo McCalebb, the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year. UNO claimed fourth place in the Sun Belt’s Western Division and advanced to the league tournament quarterfinals. The squad claimed as many victories on the road that season as it had in the previous three seasons combined. His recruiting class for the 2007-08 season was ranked in the top 50 nationally by HoopScoopOnline.com.

     Prior to UNO, Williams served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Texas A&M for two seasons (2004-05 and 2005-06) under head coach Billy Gillispie. Both of his recruiting classes with the Aggies were ranked among the best in the nation and featured some of the top-ranked talent at the prep level. The squad made its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 25 years in 2005-06. The previous team posted the top turnaround in the nation, improving its win total in 2004-05 by 14 games compared to 2003-04.

     Williams spent four seasons (2000-01 through 2003-04) at Colorado State, where he served as an assistant the first three seasons before being promoted to associate head coach in 2003-04. Two of his recruiting classes were ranked among the 40 best in the nation, including the 2003 group, which was tabbed No. 1 in the Mountain West Conference. Colorado State made its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 13 years during his tenure, and HoopScoopOnline.com named him one of the top assistants in the country.

     The Van Alstyne, Texas, native was previously an assistant at Northwestern State (1999-2000), Texas A&M-Kingsville (1998-99) and Texas-Arlington (1994-98). He earned a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from Oklahoma City University in 1994 before completing his master’s work in the same field at Texas A&M-Kingsville in 1999.

     Williams is married to the former Corey Norman and the couple have two daughters, Zera and Addyson, and two sons, Calvin and Mason.