Rufus Williams is entering his third season as an assistant coach for the Rockford University men's basketball program. Williams' primary coaching responsibilities revolve around working with the team's post players.
Coach Williams joins the Regents after successful coaching stints at Presentation College and William Penn University. While at Presentation, Williams was involved with recruiting, scouting, player development and controlling the program's social media presence. Prior to his time at Presentation, Williams spent two years as an assistant coach at William Penn University. His primary responsibilities and duties with the Statesmen included: recruiting, scouting, assisting with practice, player development, monitoring academics and creating highlight tapes. During his time with the Statesmen, William Penn went 52-17, including going 30-5 during the 2017-18 season. The Statesmen also earned a berth in the NAIA Division I National Tournament both years, reaching the Sweet Sixteen in 2018-19 and the Final Four in 2017-18. Over those two seasons, William Penn produced five All-Americans, eight all-conference players and had eight players sign to play professionally.Â
Prior to entering the coaching ranks, Williams played at both Selma University and William Penn University. The Statesmen compiled an 82-23 overall record and made two trips to the NAIA Division I National Tournament during Williams' three years on the roster. William Penn also made a pair of deep runs in back-to-back years in the NAIA Division I National Tournament, reaching the Elite Eight in 15-16 and the Final Four in 16-17. In addition to his success on the court, Williams was also very strong in the classroom throughout his career as he was named to the Dean's List three times and twice named a NAIA Scholar-Athlete.
Williams graduated from William Penn University with a bachelor's degree in Kinesiology-Sports Administration and a minor in Business. He then went on to earn his master's degree in Business Leadership from William Penn. Â
