The track team’s new throws coach has only been on campus for a couple of months, but said he expects many of the athletes in his training group to earn All-American honors this indoor and outdoor track season.
“I’d like to build a good base of being technical, but also being competitive,” Throws Coach Stargell Williams said. “I also want them to perform well at our big meets which are conference and nationals and be All-Americans.”
Head Track Coach Andrew Towne said he interviewed a number of potential throws coaches this summer after former throws coach Janine Kuestner announced her departure from the team in early June. Towne liked Williams’ personality because he felt Williams is personable and would help the team recruit. Williams’ first day was in September.
“So far, the athletes seem to be responding pretty well,” Towne said. “We’re excited that we got him.”
After competing as a shot put and discus thrower for two years at a community college in Kansas, Williams transferred to Florida State University where he competed for two more indoor and outdoor seasons. While on FSU’s track team, Williams placed second in shot put at the ACC conference meet his junior year and qualified for the NCAA Division-I East Regional Meet both his junior and senior seasons.
Williams graduated from FSU in 2015 with a degree in sports management and for the next year served as an assistant track coach at FSU.
Williams said he was attracted to Hillsdale’s coaching staff because they are laid back, but still committed to running a competitive program.
“I come from an elite program and I figure this is a great place to start my career,” Williams said. “I saw from my interview that I really gelled with the coaching staff and was able to be myself. They’re all pretty laid back, but they’re about business and they want to be great.”