Katrina Williams Named Head Women's Basketball Coach at Tusculum

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. -- Katrina Williams has been named the women's basketball coach at Tusculum College announced TC director of athletics Frankie DeBusk Tuesday afternoon at a press conference at the Niswonger Student Commons.
 
Williams replaces former Pioneer head coach Adell Harris, who took a similar position at NCAA Division I UNC Wilmington last month, following her three seasons at Tusculum.
  
Williams brings seven years collegiate coaching experience with her, including three seasons as a head coach.
 
Williams spent the last two years at Radford University, including last season where she served as an assistant coach for the Highlanders.  RU posted a 16-15 record, finished fifth in the Big South Conference and made a late postseason run to the Big South Tournament semifinal.  In her first year at the Radford, Va. School, Williams served in the position of Director of Basketball Operations.
 
Prior to Radford, she served three seasons as the head coach at Averett University, where she elevated the Cougar program to new heights, including a school-record 17-9 overall mark in 2009-10, which topped the previous school standard set the year before. In addition to their overall record, the Cougars set a new program record for conference wins in each of Williams' three years at the helm.
 
While at the Danville, Va. school, Williams mentored three All-Conference players as well as four Academic All-Conference honorees.

"As the search for a new women's basketball coach began, I asked every candidate if they felt they could keep the strong tradition going that we have at Tusculum with our women's program.  Katrina Williams surfaced as the candidate that continued to impress me with her passion and desire to win, both on and off the court," said DeBusk.  "She comes very highly recommended by several peers in our profession and we all believe she is a coach on the rise and can come to Tusculum and continue our winning tradition.  Her head coaching experience and her basketball knowledge at different levels makes her a great fit for Tusculum College and our athletic department."

Along with her head coaching duties at Averett, Williams served as the athletic department's Senior Women's Administrator.
 
Before accepting the position at Averett, Williams was an assistant coach at Ferrum College. While on the Panthers' staff, she helped head coach Bryan Harvey lead the team to a school-best 21-7 record in 2006-07. Additionally, she played a major role in the recruiting process that landed 11 freshmen on the Ferrum campus, including the 2007 USA South Conference Rookie of the Year.

"The Tusculum women's basketball program is one with a winning culture.  Having been to the NCAA Tournament the last five seasons is proof that there is a commitment to being successful," said Williams.   "The sense of pride and passion that everyone I came in contact with at Tusculum has is something truly special.  I am very excited to be a part of the Pioneer family and I am anxious to serve Tusculum College, its student-athletes and the Greeneville community."
  
A 2004 graduate of Roanoke College, Williams earned a bachelor's degree in sociology. The Roanoke, Va. native was a three-year starter on the Maroons basketball team after playing one season at Virginia Tech.  A three-time Old Dominion Athletic Conference all-league selection, including first-team selections in 2002 and 2003, Williams was named ODAC Player of the Year in 2003, while earning honorable mention All-America honors.
 
Williams inherits a Tusculum program that went 17-11 last season, while making the program's fifth straight NCAA Division II Tournament appearance.

"I am very grateful to Coach DeBusk for trusting in me to lead Tusculum women's basketball program.  It is both a privilege and honor to be in a leadership role at a place such as Tusculum," Williams added.  "I realize that there are big shoes to fill and I am honored that Coach DeBusk is allowing me to continue to build upon the foundation that is in place and to lead this program to new heights."

"I have had the privilege to work for and play for some outstanding coaches.  I will forever be indebted to them for the opportunities they have given me. I would like to thank my Dad who was my first coach and will always be my full-time assistant.  Tusculum College has gained a faithful supporter and I am excited and grateful that my father has been a part of my journey.  I am extremely thankful to Ferrum College coach Bryan Harvey who was the first to believe in my abilities to be a collegiate coach.  He will forever be a mentor, great friend and someone that I consider family.  I would like to thank Charles Harris, Sam Ferguson and Averett University for giving me my first head coaching opportunity.  I would also like to thank Coach Tajama Abraham Ngongba at Radford University for giving me the chance to grow professionally in her program and she has been a great mentor."
 
Tusculum College, located in Greeneville, Tenn., is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, USA and is a NCAA Division II member of the South Atlantic Conference, which is comprised of 10 colleges and universities in Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina.

- Courtesy Tusculum Media Relations