*** Welcome to piglix ***

Sam Williams (basketball, born 1924)

Sam Williams
Sport(s) Basketball
Biographical details
Born June 29, 1924
Daingerfield, Texas
Died October 22, 2012(2012-10-22) (aged 88)
McAllen, Texas
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
195?–1958 McAllen HS
1958–1973 Texas–Pan American
Head coaching record
Overall 244–164 (0.598)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
  • 1 NAIA National Championship (1963)
Awards
  • NAIA National Coach of the Year (1964)
  • UTPA Hall of Fame (2007)
  • Rio Grande Valley Sports Hall of Fame

Walter "Sam" Williams (June 29, 1924 – October 22, 2012) was an American college basketball coach. He is considered an early pioneer of racial integration in the college game and is the University of Texas–Pan American's all-time leader in wins (244), including its only men's basketball national championship in 1962–63. Williams is referred to as the "Father of Broncs Basketball" at Texas Pan–American. He oversaw the school's transition from a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) program into a NCAA Division I program. During his 15 year tenure, he had 11 winning seasons, 4 20-win seasons, and 244 total victories.

The UTPA Fieldhouse, where the team plays their home games, had its center court rededicated to Williams on November 20, 2010. He was also named head coach emeritus, becoming just the second former coach at Texas Pan–American to earn that honor (baseball coach Al Ogletree was the first).

Williams died on October 22, 2012, from natural causes.

      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


...
Wikipedia

...