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Three-Time Champ Williams Inducted into NJCAA Volleyball HOF

Three-Time Champ Williams Inducted into NJCAA Volleyball HOF
November 1, 2023

Just two years after leaving Iowa Western to become the head coach at Bradley University in Illinois, former Iowa Western coach and player Alicia Williams was elected to the NJCAA Volleyball Hall of Fame. 

Williams is a part of the three-person class that included Bob Vilsoet, coach of Harper (Ill.) and Jazmyn Wheeler, former player at Scottsdale (Ariz.)

Alicia Williams | Student-Athlete and Coach | Iowa Western

Alicia Williams began her NJCAA volleyball involvement as a member of the Iowa Western volleyball team. While competing for the Reivers, Williams helped the team capture the school's first-ever team NJCAA national title. During this season, the Reivers held the record for victories in a season with 60. She was an NJCAA All-Academic honoree and an Iowa Western Presidential Scholar. After leaving Iowa Western, Williams found her way back as the assistant coach of the Reivers and eventually made her way to the head coaching position in 2013. She spent nine years as the head coach of the Reiver volleyball team with a 335-44 record. Williams is the only person in Iowa Western volleyball history to be a part of all three national championships. In 2006 she was a player and in the 20-21 and 21-22 seasons she served as head coach.

Williams has led the Reivers to seven top five finishes and four top three finishes at the NJCAA national tournament. Williams has coached 19 NJCAA All-Americans, 48 All-Academic, and 52 players have signed to four-year institutions. Under Williams leadership, the Iowa Western volleyball team made nine NJCAA national tournament appearances with nine ICCAC Region 11 titles, eight-time District Champions, and won back-to-back NJCAA National Championships for the 2020-21 season and the 2021-22 season.

Throughout her career, Williams has been awarded the Heidi Cartisser Coach of the Tournament two times, AVCA Midwest Coach of the Year three times, and ICCAC Region 11 Coach of the Year four times. She also holds the record for the second most victories in Iowa Western history and has the highest winning percentage in Iowa Western history. Williams currently serves as the head coach of NCAA Division I Bradley University.