Jim Williams (March 3, 1919 – May 31, 2007)
Williams coached basketball, football, and baseball programs from 1946 to 1954 at Snow Junior College in Utah where he led his basketball team to the 1954 Junior College National Tournament and his football team was one loss shy of going the 1954 JC national play offs.
Starting in 1955 he coached of the Colorado State University men's basketball program for 25 seasons (1955–1980). He succeeded Bill Stranigan following the program's first ever NCAA Tournament appearance. Williams guided the Rams to conference championships in 1960 and 1961 along with NCAA Tournament appearances in 1963, 1965, 1966 and 1969. In 1969 he took CSU to the Elite Eight in the tournament and he coached legendary basketball players Eddie Hughes, Lonnie Wright and 1963 All-American Bill Green.
During his tenure he amassed 352 wins, the most for any Division I college coach in Colorado history. His teams made a total of four NCAA Tournament and two NIT appearances. In 1969 he took the Rams to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, beating arch-rival Colorado in the Sweet Sixteen before losing a tightly contested game to Drake University.
Williams also served as the school's athletic director during the construction of Moby Arena and Hughes Stadium and the school's entrance into the Western Athletic Conference.
Following his dismissal in 1980 Williams continued to attend CSU games where he was given his own special courtside seat. Williams was also among the first entrants in CSU Sports Hall of Fame.
On May 31, 2007, Williams died at the age of 92.
Williams coached basketball, football, and baseball programs from 1946 to 1954 at Snow Junior College in Utah where he led his basketball team to the 1954 Junior College National Tournament and his football team was one loss shy of going the 1954 JC national play offs.
Starting in 1955 he coached of the Colorado State University men's basketball program for 25 seasons (1955–1980). He succeeded Bill Stranigan following the program's first ever NCAA Tournament appearance. Williams guided the Rams to conference championships in 1960 and 1961 along with NCAA Tournament appearances in 1963, 1965, 1966 and 1969. In 1969 he took CSU to the Elite Eight in the tournament and he coached legendary basketball players Eddie Hughes, Lonnie Wright and 1963 All-American Bill Green.
During his tenure he amassed 352 wins, the most for any Division I college coach in Colorado history. His teams made a total of four NCAA Tournament and two NIT appearances. In 1969 he took the Rams to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, beating arch-rival Colorado in the Sweet Sixteen before losing a tightly contested game to Drake University.
Williams also served as the school's athletic director during the construction of Moby Arena and Hughes Stadium and the school's entrance into the Western Athletic Conference.
Following his dismissal in 1980 Williams continued to attend CSU games where he was given his own special courtside seat. Williams was also among the first entrants in CSU Sports Hall of Fame.
On May 31, 2007, Williams died at the age of 92.
Jim Williams (March 3, 1919 – May 31, 2007)
Williams coached basketball, football, and baseball programs from 1946 to 1954 at Snow Junior College in Utah where he led his basketball team to the 1954 Junior College National Tournament and his football team was one loss shy of going the 1954 JC national play offs.
Starting in 1955 he coached of the Colorado State University men's basketball program for 25 seasons (1955–1980). He succeeded Bill Stranigan following the program's first ever NCAA Tournament appearance. Williams guided the Rams to conference championships in 1960 and 1961 along with NCAA Tournament appearances in 1963, 1965, 1966 and 1969. In 1969 he took CSU to the Elite Eight in the tournament and he coached legendary basketball players Eddie Hughes, Lonnie Wright and 1963 All-American Bill Green.
During his tenure he amassed 352 wins, the most for any Division I college coach in Colorado history. His teams made a total of four NCAA Tournament and two NIT appearances. In 1969 he took the Rams to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, beating arch-rival Colorado in the Sweet Sixteen before losing a tightly contested game to Drake University.
Williams also served as the school's athletic director during the construction of Moby Arena and Hughes Stadium and the school's entrance into the Western Athletic Conference.
Following his dismissal in 1980 Williams continued to attend CSU games where he was given his own special courtside seat. Williams was also among the first entrants in CSU Sports Hall of Fame.
On May 31, 2007, Williams died at the age of 92.
Williams coached basketball, football, and baseball programs from 1946 to 1954 at Snow Junior College in Utah where he led his basketball team to the 1954 Junior College National Tournament and his football team was one loss shy of going the 1954 JC national play offs.
Starting in 1955 he coached of the Colorado State University men's basketball program for 25 seasons (1955–1980). He succeeded Bill Stranigan following the program's first ever NCAA Tournament appearance. Williams guided the Rams to conference championships in 1960 and 1961 along with NCAA Tournament appearances in 1963, 1965, 1966 and 1969. In 1969 he took CSU to the Elite Eight in the tournament and he coached legendary basketball players Eddie Hughes, Lonnie Wright and 1963 All-American Bill Green.
During his tenure he amassed 352 wins, the most for any Division I college coach in Colorado history. His teams made a total of four NCAA Tournament and two NIT appearances. In 1969 he took the Rams to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, beating arch-rival Colorado in the Sweet Sixteen before losing a tightly contested game to Drake University.
Williams also served as the school's athletic director during the construction of Moby Arena and Hughes Stadium and the school's entrance into the Western Athletic Conference.
Following his dismissal in 1980 Williams continued to attend CSU games where he was given his own special courtside seat. Williams was also among the first entrants in CSU Sports Hall of Fame.
On May 31, 2007, Williams died at the age of 92.
Family Members
Spouse
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
