Women’s track and field athletes Ahliyah Williams ’22, Marissa Linkous ’22, and Eliza Brooks ’22 during the 2021 spring outdoor season. This year, they’ll have a new coach, Eddie Williams ’83. Williams was hired as the women’s track and field coach in August 2021.—Brian McWalters/Road Win Photo courtesy VMI Keydets.
Maj. General Cedric T. Wins ’85, superintendent, announced the hiring of Eddie Williams ’83 as the head women’s track and field coach at VMI in late August.
Over a 25-year coaching career, Williams has led indoor and outdoor teams of both male and female athletes to multiple state championships at Bethel High School in Hampton, Virginia. Named the National Scholastic Athletics Foundation USA National Outdoor Track Coach of the Year in 2006, he has coached his teams to 22 girls indoor and outdoor district/conference championships and nine boys indoor and outdoor district/conference championships.
“Coach Williams has a stellar track record of competing and winning,” Wins said. “He has been successful in everything he has taken on including as a VMI cadet, engineer, coach, and a mentor. I am excited for our cadets to learn from his success. As a VMI alumnus, Coach is no stranger to the challenges that cadet-athletes face. I am confident in his ability to develop them not just as world-class athletes but also as leaders of character.”
Williams has led his squads to 13 girls indoor/outdoor state championships and three boys indoor/outdoor state championships as well as 14 girls indoor/outdoor regional championships and two boys indoor/outdoor regional championships.
On an individual level, 31 of his female athletes have earned individual state titles in addition to 11 boys’ individual state titles. Eleven state champions went on to earn national titles in their respective events, and three own national high school records. He has also led 40 relay squads to state titles.
Over 100 student-athletes have obtained college scholarships to various major and midlevel colleges, including VMI, the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, Virginia Commonwealth University, Hampton University, Norfolk State, Seton Hall, and the University of Maryland.
“VMI has a proud history in track and field of which I am blessed to be a product,” Williams said. “I am thankful for the opportunity to lead the VMI women’s track and field program. My goal is to take the foundation that has been successfully built and inspire alignment and ownership based on the VMI way—that of shared values, purpose, and vision.
“We will improve individual and team performance, produce champions, and win in the Southern Conference and on a national level. I want to thank the superintendent, Major General Cedric Wins; Lenny Brown, acting athletic director; Darrin Webb, director of track and field; and the VMI administration for their faith in me. I look forward to the challenge of developing our next generation of cadet-athlete leaders.”
Editor’s Note: This article was first published at vmikeydets.com.
"I am thankful for the opportunity to lead the VMI women’s track and field program. My goal is to take the foundation that has been successfully built and inspire alignment and ownership based on the VMI way—that of shared values, purpose, and vision."
Eddie Williams ’83
Williams managed indoor and outdoor programs to ensure appropriate funding, proper planning and administration of practices, safety and well-being of student-athletes and proper utilization of financial resources.
He also recently served as an assistant meet director for the Virginia High School League 5A/6A (AAA) indoor and outdoor state meets, a role he fulfilled for seven years.
Since his graduation from VMI in 1988, Williams was employed by Huntington Ingalls Industries in Newport News, Virginia, as an electrical procedure writer and nuclear test engineer. Over this period, he served in multiple capacities including as an A4W electrical procedure writer (2020-21), a Navy nuclear test engineer supervisor (2013-20), and an electrical test supervisor of the CVN65 aircraft carrier (2001-13).
A former collegiate athlete himself, Williams was a four-year letter winner on the track and field team at VMI from 1980-83 and helped the team to Southern Conference indoor and outdoor titles from 1981-83. He was named a team captain for the 1983 season and went on to earn All-SoCon honors as a sprinter that year.
He was named VMI’s Henry Johnson Award winner in 1988 and received the Peninsula Sports Club Person of the Year Award in 2006. Williams also earned a Peninsula Sports Club Achievement Award in 2001.
Williams earned his Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from VMI in 1988 and later earned a master’s degree in management from Cambridge College in 2006.
“We are excited to welcome Coach Williams back to post and look forward to his leadership of the women’s track and field program,” said Lenny Brown, acting director of athletics.
Editor’s Note: This article was first published at vmikeydets.com.
