Grant Williams enters his sixth season on the Aces’ women’s soccer coaching staff in 2017.
The Aces have enjoyed great success in Williams' tenure, advancing to the MVC Championship match in each of the last three years. In 2015, Williams helped guide the Aces back into the NCAA Tournament as the team went on to lift the Missouri Valley Conference tournament. Whitney Biggs stepped up on the big stage for UE in goal, not allowing a single score over 200 minutes of tournament play, earning the event’s Most Outstanding Player honor in the process.
In 2014, UE advanced to the MVC Championship match, falling just shy of advancing to the NCAA Tournament. The Purple Aces ended the year 11-6-3 overall, including 3-2-1 in conference play. Williams helped UE post nine shutouts on the season and a 0.58 goals against average. He also mentored the Purple Aces goalkeepers to a record scoreless streak of 631:57. Goalkeeper Simone Busby was named MVC Goalkeeper of the Year under his guidance.
During the 2013 season, Williams coached UE to another nine win season. The Purple Aces tallied seven shutouts during the year and advanced to the MVC Semifinals as well.
In his first season with the Aces, Williams was part of the 2012 MVC Coaching Staff of the Year, as Evansville captured the MVC regular-season championship with a 4-1-1 mark in league play. Three Aces were named to the All-MVC First Team, including MVC Goalkeeper of the Year Simone Busby and MVC Freshman of the Year Abby Springer. Under his direction, the 2012 squad led the Valley with a 0.32 goals against average and four shutouts in league play.
Williams comes to Evansville after a three-year stint at Eastern Illinois University. There, Williams’ primary responsibilities as assistant coach included recruiting, team travel and meals, scouting reports, and campus visits. He also helped with the planning and execution of practices, games, and camps. Under his direction, 10 Panthers earned all-conference honors, including three first team selections, while two were named Academic All-America. EIU earned berths all three seasons to the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament, including a semifinals appearance in 2010.
Prior to his time at Eastern Illinois, Williams spent three seasons as an assistant at Western Kentucky University. The Lady Hilltoppers compiled a 40-13-7 record during his time in Bowling Green. WKU won the Sun Belt Conference title in 2007 and reached the SBC Tournament title game a year later. The Lady Toppers also earned a regional ranking from SoccerBuzz.com both seasons.
Williams holds a United States Soccer Federation National “B” Coaching License. He also earned an NSCAA Regional Goalkeeping diploma in 2006.
In 2010 and 2011, Williams worked camps at the University of Illinois, Notre Dame, and Penn State.
Williams served as the assistant director of Southern Kentucky Soccer (2004-07), a staff coach in the Kentucky ODP program (2003-04, 2007) and a head coach in the SKY Soccer club (2002-07). He also worked with boys’ varsity and junior varsity teams at Bowling Green High School from 2000-05 after volunteering during the 1997-98 school year.
Williams earned his bachelor’s degree in exercise science from WKU in 2004 and was a three-time President’s Scholar.
