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Joe Williams (basketball)

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Joe Williams
Biographical details
Born1934 (1934)[1]
Morton, Mississippi, U.S.
Died (aged 88)
Enterprise, Mississippi, U.S.
Alma materTulane University
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1959–1960Parker JHS (FL)
1960–1962Ribault HS (FL)
1962–1963Florida State (assistant)
1963–1964Furman (assistant)
1964–1970Jacksonville
1970–1978Furman
1978–1986Florida State
Head coaching record
Overall363–253 (.589)
Tournaments6–8 (NCAA Division I)
0–1 (NAIA)
1–1 (NIT)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
NCAA Regional—Final Four (1970)
3 SoCon regular season (1974, 1975, 1977)
5 SoCon tournament (1971, 19731975, 1978)
Awards
SoCon Coach of the Year (1973)

Joe Williams (1934 – March 26, 2022) was an American men's college basketball coach. He was the head coach at Jacksonville University from 1964 to 1970, Furman University from 1970 to 1978, and Florida State University from 1978 to 1986.[2]

Career

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Williams notably led Artis Gilmore and the Dolphins of Jacksonville University to the final game of the 1970 NCAA tournament, where they lost 80–69 to Sidney Wicks and the UCLA Bruins, coached by John Wooden.[3]

During his eight-year tenure (1970-1978) at Furman, the Paladins made it to the NCAA Tournament five times (1970–71, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1974–75 and 1977–78); won the Southern Conference Tournament five times (1970–71, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1974–75 and 1977–78) and the regular-season SoCon title three times (1973–74, 1974–75 and 1976–77).

During his lifetime, Williams was one of only 25 head coaches to have led three different teams to the NCAA tournament.[4] He is a 1994 inductee of the Jacksonville University athletic hall of fame,[5] and a 1996 inductee of the Furman University Athletic Hall of Fame.[6]

Personal life

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Williams' son, Blake, was an assistant basketball coach at Furman University in 2010.[7] A nephew, Brian Johnson, was an MLB pitcher.[8] Williams died on March 26, 2022, from cancer at the age of 88.[9]

Head coaching record

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Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Jacksonville Dolphins (NAIA Independent) (1964–1966)
1964–65 Jacksonville 15–11 NAIA First Round
1965–66 Jacksonville 12–11
Jacksonville Dolphins (NCAA University Division Independent) (1966–1970)
1966–67 Jacksonville 8–17
1967–68 Jacksonville 13–13
1968–69 Jacksonville 17–7
1969–70 Jacksonville 27–2 NCAA University Division Runner-up
Jacksonville: 92–61 (.601)
Furman Paladins (Southern Conference) (1970–1978)
1970–71 Furman 15–12 5–5 5th NCAA University Division First Round
1971–72 Furman 17–11 8–3 2nd
1972–73 Furman 20–9 11–2 2nd NCAA University Division First Round
1973–74 Furman 22–9 11–1 1st NCAA Division I Regional Fourth Place
1974–75 Furman 22–7 12–0 1st NCAA Division I First Round
1975–76 Furman 9–18 5–7 7th
1976–77 Furman 18–10 8–2 T–1st
1977–78 Furman 19–11 7–5 T–4th NCAA Division I First Round
Furman: 142–87 (.620) 67–25 (.728)
Florida State Seminoles (Metro Conference) (1978–1986)
1978–79 Florida State 19–10 7–3 2nd
1979–80 Florida State 22–9 7–5 3rd NCAA Division I Second Round
1980–81 Florida State 17–11 7–5 2nd
1981–82 Florida State 11–17 4–8 T–5th
1982–83 Florida State 14–14 5–7 5th
1983–84 Florida State 20–11 9–5 3rd NIT Second Round
1984–85 Florida State 14–16 4–10 7th
1985–86 Florida State 12–17 3–9 6th
Florida State: 129–105 (.551) 46–52 (.469)
Total: 363–253 (.589)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Barnes, Craig (January 29, 1986). "Williams Quits as Pressure Builds at FSU". Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
  2. ^ Vertuno, Jim (March 26, 2022). "Joe Williams, coached Jacksonville to NCAA title game, dies". Associated Press. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  3. ^ Berghaus, Bob (March 12, 2015). "When college hoops had Maravich, UCLA and Jacksonville". Asheville Citizen-Times. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
  4. ^ Brooks, Sam (March 26, 2022). "Former Hall of Fame Furman University men's basketball coach dies". WYFF. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  5. ^ "Joe Williams". Retrieved April 7, 2019.
  6. ^ "Furman University Athletic Hall of Fame". furmanpaladins.com. Archived from the original on April 7, 2019. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
  7. ^ "Furman's Strong Promoted To Associate Head Coach, Williams Joins Paladins Staff". furmanpaladins.com. May 13, 2010. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  8. ^ Smith, Christopher (July 24, 2015). "Boston Red Sox LHP Brian Johnson shares 10 fun facts about himself -- from family to baseball". masslive.com. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
  9. ^ "Williams, coach of NCAA finalist Jacksonville, dies". March 26, 2022.