Princeton University Athletics
Helen Williams Named Assistant Women's Basketball Coach
August 02, 2002 | Women's Basketball
Aug. 2, 2002
Princeton, N.J. - Helen Williams has been named assistant women's basketball coach at Princeton University. She joins head coach Richard Barron's staff after five seasons as an assistant basketball coach at the United States Naval Academy.
A 1987 graduate of Wake Forest, Williams played point guard for the Demon Deacons all four years. Upon the completion of her masters' degree in counseling from Lenior-Rhyne College, Williams became an assistant coach at Lenoir-Rhyne. She coached at Wake Forest, South Florida and Western Michigan before landing at Navy.
While at Navy, Williams helped the Midshipmen earn the 1997-98 Patriot League regular-season title. She served as co-director of the U.S. Navy Basketball Camp and as a National Education Association grant reviewer in 2002.
"Helen Williams is a great fit at Princeton," says Barron. "She has experience as a player and coach at the Division I level and has recruited at institutions with high academic standards. Part of rebuilding a program is rebuilding a staff and I feel we've made a very positive step with Helen."
Williams signed the nation's top three-point shooter while at Western Michigan, where she also served as an academic liaison for the basketball team. A member of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association and Black Coaches Association, Williams acted as chairperson on the Francis Pomeroy Naismith Committee from 1996-1999 and was a member of the Mervyn/California Women's Sports Foundation selection committee in 1999.
Princeton went from two wins in 2000-01 to 11 wins in 2001-02, Barron's fist year with the Tigers. Barron returns all but one player from last year's squad and adds a strong recruiting class for his second season at the helm.
"I'm very excited about being at Princeton," says Williams. "I can't wait to start coaching."