Williams was officially appointed the new Director of Athletics at the University of San Francisco on Aug. 31, 2022 and comes to the Hilltop with a diverse athletics background and a proven track record. He has had a long career in higher education as an athletic director at three Division I institutions: University of Portland, Marquette University and most recently, University of Akron. At Marquette, he was actively involved in the university's achievement in competing in the Big East intercollegiate athletic conference, particularly in basketball.
"It is a great honor to be selected as the University of San Francisco's Director of Athletics," said Williams. "I am extremely excited to help build upon the university's storied achievements and the opportunity to guide the holistic development of the Don student athletes in the Jesuit tradition of pursuing excellence in all things, which is especially important to me. Even more, the vibrance and diversity of the university community and the city of San Francisco provide an unmatched setting to achieve extraordinary success."
Born in Orange County, California, Williams graduated from the University of Notre Dame, where he was a two-time All-American football player. Drafted by the Cleveland Browns out of Notre Dame, he played for eight years with the NFL, including stints with the New Orleans Saints and the New England Patriots. While he was competing in the NFL, he earned a law degree from the University of San Diego. After retiring from pro football in 1993, he practiced law for the Indianapolis-based law firm of Baker & Daniels, before returning to Notre Dame in 1999 to work on licensing and product marketing. He began his career as an athletic director when he joined our West Coast Conference colleagues at University of Portland in 2004.
Williams has also served on the NCAA Legislative Committee, the NCAA Championships and Sports Sponsorship Cabinet and the NCAA Men's Basketball Issues Committee. He previously chaired the West Coast Conference Athletic Directors Council.
Williams and his wife, Laura Lee, a former collegiate All-American and national champion tennis player at Notre Dame, have five adult children, all of whom graduated from Jesuit high schools. Their daughter Kristin was a rower at Santa Clara University, earned a law degree, and is now the senior associate commissioner/senior woman administrator for the Mid-American Conference; son Sean graduated from and played football at Yale, earned a master's degree at Marquette before serving in the U.S. Army; son Scott graduate from and played football at Yale, earned a master's at Johns Hopkins and is now a media producer in Los Angeles; son Eric graduated from and played football at Yale, earned a master's at Johns Hopkins and currently serves as a diplomat in Abu Dhabi; son Louis recently graduated from the University of Akron with degrees in finance and marketing.
