BREAKING: Amy Williams takes head coaching position at Nebraska
Former head women’s basketball coach Amy Williams is leaving USD to take a head coaching position at the University of Nebraska.
The Nebraska Director of Athletics Shawn Eichorst announced Monday that Williams will be the new head women’s basketball coach.
“We are extremely fortunate and thrilled to have identified an exceptional person, coach and Nebraska women’s basketball alumna, Amy Williams, to be our head women’s basketball coach,” Eichorst said in a statement. “Amy is a very skilled and experienced basketball coach who has a track record of success both on and off the court and is an ideal fit for Nebraska.”
Williams will replace former Nebraska head coach Connie Yori, who resigned last week after 14 seasons with the Cornhuskers amid allegations she mistreated players. Yori was the winningest coach in program history and the national coach of the year in 2010. She finished her time at Nebraska with a 280–166 record and nine NCAA tournament appearances.
Williams said in a press release that she’s excited to be returning to her alma mater. A Spearfish, S.D. native, Williams played at Nebraska from 1994-1998 and graduated in 1998 with a degree in biology and mathematics.
“What an honor to return home as the Head Women’s Basketball Coach at the University of Nebraska,” she said. “My family and I are thrilled to be joining this outstanding University and the Lincoln community. I am grateful to President Hank Bounds, Chancellor Harvey Perlman and Shawn Eichorst for their confidence in me and I am eager to continue to build on the rich tradition of my alma mater.”
Kate Liveringhouse, a sophomore center for USD, said Williams informed the team at an in-person meeting Monday afternoon.
“Obviously we didn’t want her to go, she was an amazing coach, but obviously this is a great opportunity for her and we’re really happy for her,” she said.
Liveringhouse said the team will continue to work hard to prepare for next year while USD searches for a new head coach.
“We’re the ones that are going to go into a new season not really knowing what’s going on but they’re obviously going to do the best that they can in hiring someone and we’re just going to continue to work hard and do what we can do and control what we can control,” she said. “In the end we know that whatever happens we’re just going to make the best of it.”
The Coyotes are losing five seniors this year, meaning they’ll be looking to recruit new players. Liveringhouse said she’s unsure how William’s absence will affect the incoming recruits for next year.
“I think that the culture that we have, coach Williams was an extremely huge part of that, but I think our team was also. So I think just with our culture, that’s a huge draw you know and I hope it doesn’t, but we really don’t know at this point,” she said.
David Herbster, the athletic director for USD, said he was notified that Williams had taken the position at about 1 p.m. Monday. He said he’s sad to see to her go, but happy for the opportunities she’ll have at a Big Ten school.
“The first thing I said to her was congratulations, for her to leave South Dakota to go back to her alma mater and step into a Big Ten program and one that has had the tradition–that Nebraska has had–speaks volumes to what she has been able to accomplish here,” he said.
Williams compiled a 96-44 record in four seasons at South Dakota to become the second-winningest coach in program history. During her four years at USD, Williams led the Coyotes to the 2016 Women’s National Invitation Tournament Championship, the program’s first NCAA Tournament in 2014 and four-straight Summit League Tournament championship games.
Herbster said there are no coaches in particular that USD has looked at to fill Williams’ position, yet.
“This is a national search and it starts today,” Herbster said.
