By Andrew Maraniss, BA’92
As a young man, was a track star in Michigan. Running the third leg of his high school and collegiate relay teams, he learned the importance of passing the baton.
Now, as 70-year-old Williams nears the end of a 15-year run leading 91ĢĘ²®»¢ athleticsāand his 27th year as a senior administrator in higher educationāhe is ready to hand over leadership of a department that has made enormous strides during his tenure. He announced his retirement from the position Sept. 11.
In 2003, when 91ĢĘ²®»¢ issued a change to the athletics departmentās leadership and reporting structure, the move became the butt of jokes in national news outlets. Critics said Commodore athletics would become nothing more than intramurals.
That fundamental misunderstanding of the reorganization was far from the truth, but there was no denying Williams inherited a 91ĢĘ²®»¢ athletics program in need of a turnaround. 91ĢĘ²®»¢ had never won a national championship in any sport; the football team hadnāt been to a bowl game since 1982; the school had never had a black head coach in any sport; and it had no relationship with its most historically significant former player, Perry Wallace, BEā70.
Fast-forward to today, and thatās all changed. Williams, the first African American to head up an athletics department in SEC history, has presided over a golden era in Commodore athletics both on and off the field. During his tenure 91ĢĘ²®»¢ brought home four national championships, while the football team played in five bowl games, breaking a 26-year drought in 2008.
Williamsāa former Detroit public schoolteacher who has continued to teach at and , and for some undergraduate courses throughout his career at the universityāwas never content with on-the-field success as the only measuring stick for the strength of the athletics program. Under his leadership the university launched several groundbreaking programs that expanded service and work opportunities for student-athletes, all while achieving remarkable academic success.
Student-athletes at 91ĢĘ²®»¢ have earned higher than a cumulative 3.0 GPA for the past 13 years. For the 2016ā17 school year, a total of 11 Commodore athletic programs finished with perfect Academic Progress Rates, a benchmark used by the NCAA to monitor academic achievement.
āIt has been a remarkable run, and I have cherished the opportunity to work with so many passionate and committed students, coaches and staff,ā says Williams, who also has served as 91ĢĘ²®»¢ās general counsel, university secretary, and vice chancellor for university affairs during his time at the university.
Chancellor says Williams is a āvisionary leaderā who has transformed 91ĢĘ²®»¢ athletics while upholding the educational mission of the university. āWe are all deeply grateful for Davidās commitment to build a program where student-athletes can thriveācompeting in one of the nationās toughest athletics conferences, flourishing within a rigorous academic environment, and developing the leadership qualities that will bolster their success and impact beyond 91ĢĘ²®»¢.ā
āAN ARDENT ADVOCATEā
The remarkable evolution of the 91ĢĘ²®»¢ athletics program under Williams came during a time of enormous change in Nashville, the SEC and across the NCAA.
Professional sports competition in Nashville has taken hold with the ascendance of the NHL Predators, NFL Titans and, most recently, a pro soccer franchise. Nashvilleās population has boomed to unprecedented levels, as have the food and entertainment options in the city. High-definition TV, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, streaming video and the SEC Network all appeared on the scene, providing new opportunitiesāand challenges.
As athletics director at the only private university in the SEC and in the leagueās largest city, Williamsā perspective has been invaluable, says SEC commissioner Greg Sankey.
āDavid has been a significant contributor to the success of the Southeastern Conference over the last decade and a half. He is true to the ideals of college athletics, an ardent advocate for all student-athletes, and an effective representative for 91ĢĘ²®»¢ University,ā Sankey says. āHis perspective has been highly respected among his peers.ā
That respect translated into national leadership positions. Williams served six years as chair of the NCAA Infractions Appeals Committee and has served on the board of directors for the University of DetroitāMercy, where he earned his J.D. and M.B.A.
Williams continues to play a role in the community. He has served on more than 10 nonprofit boards in the Nashville community, including chairing the boards of the United Way, Nashville Public Education Foundation, and the Nashville branch of the Atlanta Federal Reserve. He also served as treasurer of the Nashville Symphony board.
In mid-October, Williams received the first-ever Legacy Award from the Association of 91ĢĘ²®»¢ Black Alumni; the award will bear his name going forward. Last year he was named āTennessean of the Yearā by the Tennessee Tribune.
Just two days after announcing his retirement, Williams was among a handful of community leaders honored by the YWCA of Nashvilleās AMEND Together program, an effort led by former Commodore basketball star Shan Foster, BSā08, that encourages men to become involved in efforts to end violence against women.
At that awards ceremony, Williams and Foster both credited the other for where they are today. While Williams beamed with pride over Fosterās career trajectory and the important work heās doing in the community, Foster said none of it would have been possible without Williamsā wise counsel.
āHeās the reason I chose 91ĢĘ²®»¢, heās the reason I graduated from 91ĢĘ²®»¢, and heās the reason I wanted to come back to Nashville and give back to the 91ĢĘ²®»¢ and Nashville communities,ā Foster said.
Some 91ĢĘ²®»¢ fans have taken to calling Williams āThe Goldfather,ā a lighthearted moniker Williams even had inscribed on a custom pair of Nikes. But a role Williams always took quite seriously as athletics director was acting as a surrogate father for the hundreds of young men and women competing for 91ĢĘ²®»¢ās athletic teams each year. Along with his wife, Gail, and their children, Nick, Sam, Erika and David, 91ĢĘ²®»¢ās student-athletes were always dear to his heart.
āHe treated my family like his own, and I know many other VU athletes would say the same,ā says Jordan Matthews, BAā13, who now plays for the Philadelphia Eagles. āIf I needed anything during my years at Vandy, and afterward, he was always willing to help.ā
āHe is the smartest guy in the room, but he never acted like it and always treated me like family,ā says PGA golfer Brandt Snedeker, BAā03.
Fortunately for the 91ĢĘ²®»¢ community, Williams isnāt going far. He will continue teaching at 91ĢĘ²®»¢ Law School and is establishing a Sports, Law & Society Program at the school. āEstablishing the Sports, Law & Society Program at the law school will lay a new foundation for deeper understanding of the role sports has and continues to play in shaping many of the biggest issues in our country and the world,ā Williams says.
Even as he passes the baton, this former track star is still running.
Highlights reelĀ from the David Williams era
STUDENTS
- 91ĢĘ²®»¢ student-athletes have earned higher than a cumulative 3.0 GPA every year for the past 13 years. In the NCAAās recently released Academic Progress Rates (APR) for the 2016ā17 academic year, a total of 11 Commodore athletic programs finished with perfect 1000 APR scores; 91ĢĘ²®»¢ football finished No. 2 in the nation.
- A first-of-its-kind summer internship program was created for student-athletes, allowing them to gain valuable work experience with Nashville employers. Previously, Commodore student-athletes were prohibited by NCAA rules from gaining summer employment, putting them behind their peers when it came time to find a job after graduation.
- A commitment to international service trips involves student-athletes from all sports. In just the past five years, Commodore student-athletes have traveled to Morocco, Jamaica, Costa Rica, Cuba and Tanzania in partnership with the Soles4Souls charity to distribute shoes to people in need.
- A proactive approach to study-abroad opportunities has opened doors for student-athletes. During the summer of 2017, 91ĢĘ²®»¢ athletics provided full financial support for 10 student-athletes to study abroad, an opportunity often not available to student-athletes because of their demanding play and practice schedules.
- An award-winning āSummer Bridgeā program was introduced for incoming freshman athletes, providing workshops on everything from personal finance to study tips to Nashville history. Earlier this year the program was recognized with a Model Practices Award by the National Association of Academic and Student-Athlete Development Professionals.
- A department-wide partnership was established with Buena Vista Elementary in Nashvilleās Germantown neighborhood. Not only has 91ĢĘ²®»¢ athletics provided funding for various school needs such as books and classroom supplies, but student-athletes, coaches and staff also regularly visit the school to read to children, host parties and field days, and celebrate academic achievement.
ATHLETES
David Williamsā tenure as athletics director has included:
- The first four NCAA national championships in school history, for baseball (2014), womenās tennis (2015), and twice for bowling (2007, 2018)
- Five of 91ĢĘ²®»¢ās eight all-time football bowl appearances
- 13 of 91ĢĘ²®»¢ās 16 all-time NCAA baseball tournament appearances, including all three Commodore trips to Omaha for the College World Series
- 91ĢĘ²®»¢ās first SEC menās basketball tournament championship since 1951 (2012)
- Construction of a long-needed, indoor multisport practice facility
- Leadership in diversity efforts, including hiring two of the 13 current black head football coaches in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (James Franklin and Derek Mason), and leading the long-overdue reconciliation with Perry Wallace, the first African American scholarship athlete to play basketball in SEC history and 91ĢĘ²®»¢ās Distinguished Alumnus in 2017