In recruiting circles, there's good Buzz on Coach Williams
When Mike McConathy began putting together his first Demon coaching staff, he quickly put his trust in the dynamic Buzz Williams as recruiting coordinator and assistant coach.
Williams is highly regarded by many recruiting experts. More important, he is highly regarded by the young men he recruits, and those who have played for him.
He is making an immediate impact. Williams brought in two talented transfers, Mike Byars-Dawson and Chris Lynch, and will add the biggest early signing class in NSU History.
Williams, 27, has five years of collegiate coaching experience at Texas-Arlington and Texas A&M-Kingsville, along with stints as an undergraduate assistant coach at Oklahoma City University and Navarro College.
He spent the last year at Texas A&M-Kingsville after four seasons at UTA competing against Northwestern in the Southland Conference.
"Buzz has a lot of recruiting experience and success," said McConathy. "He has tremendous contacts in Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, which are the areas we will recruit extensively. He is well respected because of how hard he works. He's relentless.
"He brings to the program plenty of enthusiasm, energy and great knowledge of the Southland Conference that will help us establish a solid foundation for ou program," said McConathy.
While at UTA, Williams signed the 1996-97 SLC Freshman of the Year, forward Bill Washington, along with two-time GTE Academic All-American Scott Cross. In his last season at UTA, he signed two of the top 50 junior college recruits in the country as the Mavericks reached the CenturyTel SLC Classic championship game and nearly advanced to the NCAA Tournament, losing by one when a last-ditch basket went in just after the final buzzer.
Williams also worked with scheduling, scouting, team travel, strength and conditioning and summer camps at UTA.
Last season, he was the only fulltime assistant at Texas A&M-Kingsville.
At Oklahoma City, he assisted with recruiting as the Chiefs won the 1993-94 NAIA national championship with a 28-7 record on he heals of a 25-7 season and an NAIA national Sweet 16 appearance year earlier.
From 1990-92 at Navarro, he was part of a program that posted a two-year record of 45-17. The 1990-91 squad led all of the nations' junior colleges with a 116.1 scoring average.
Williams has also served on basketball camp staffs directed by nationally-known coaches Pete Gillen, Kevin O'Neill, Gene Iba, Win Case, Tony Barone, John Shumate, Ned Fowler and Mike Kunstadt.
He is a 1994 magna cum laude graduate of Oklahoma City University and a native of Van Alstyne, Texas.
