Longtime Saint Augustine’s Stalwart to Receive 2022 USATF Legend Coach Award

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana — George Williams - longtime Saint Augustine’s coach - is the 2022 USATF Coaching Legend, USATF announced today.
 
Williams is already a member of nine halls of fame, including the USTFCCCA, CIAA, and Saint Augustine’s University. He will be honored Friday, June 24 at the Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships.
 
In his 44 years at the helm of the Saint Augustine’s track and field program, Williams was the catalyst of unprecedented success, bringing the Falcon’s a mind-boggling 39 NCAA Division II National Titles - third most amongst NCAA coaches at any level. On top of his extraordinary team accomplishments, Williams coached 282 individual national champions across a variety of disciplines.
 
Williams was able to coach successful athletes at all levels, producing more than 40 Olympians under his tutelage - including 400m hurdles World Champion and Olympic medalist Bershawn “Batman” Jackson. With over 20 NCAA Division II Coach of the Year awards and a pristine 95 percent graduation rate amongst his athletes, Williams leaves one of the most impactful legacies in all of collegiate athletics.
 
In 2004, Williams reached the pinnacle of the sport when he was given the honor of Head U.S. Olympic Track and Field Coach at the 2004 Athens Olympics. He also served as an assistant coach for the 1996 U.S. Olympic team in Atlanta, where each athlete he coached won a gold medal.
 
In addition to his tenure as head track and field coach, Williams served a number of other roles for Saint Augustine’s: athletic director for 23 years, director of alumni affairs, admissions counselor, and even head basketball coach.
 
The USATF Legend Coach Award is in its seventh year and is selected by the USATF Coaches Advisory Committee. The inaugural award was presented to Hall of Fame Tigerbelle Coach Ed Temple in 2014, followed by Dr. Joe Vigil (2015), Tom Tellez (2016), Clyde Hart (2017), Brooks Johnson (2018), Bob Larsen (2019), and Bill Dellinger (2021).

Photo Credit: St. Augustine's University Athletics