Blackburn College head women’s basketball coach Mike Williams has been named St.
Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in recognition of his leadership in the dramatic improvements in the Blackburn program this season.

In his first season at Blackburn, Williams led the Beavers to a fourth-place conference finish and a berth in the postseason SLIAC tournament. Blackburn went 9-7 in the conference–the school’s first winning conference mark since 2000-01--and 11-15 overall after winning just three games and finishing last in the conference a season ago. The Beavers won seven of their last nine regular-season games.

In addition to his on-court achievements, Williams has earned accolades for his engaging personality, work ethic, recruiting prowess, and commitment to discipline. Because of his efforts, Blackburn recorded their most overall victories since 2001-02 and is seen as a program on the rise.

Williams came to Blackburn after spending two seasons as head girls’ basketball coach at Zion-Benton Township High School, where he led the Zee-Bees to 24 wins and a regional title last year. A 1991 graduate of North Park College, where he was a two-sport athlete, Williams also serves as head cross country coach at Blackburn.

It is the fourth time that a Blackburn women’s basketball coach has been named SLIAC Coach of the Year and the first since the 1995-96 season.