UCF women’s basketball coach Joi Williams is not expected to return to the school next year and the school will conduct a coaching search immediately, Community Sport Report reports. UCF confirmed Williams and the school would part ways in a press release issued late Monday.
–@UCFKnights Women's coach Joi Williams will not return next year. Coaching search to begin immediately.
— CommunitySportReport (@CSROrlando) March 8, 2016
“We appreciate everything that Coach Williams has done for the program over the last nine years. In my short time getting to know Joi, it is clear that she has great character and has led our program with tremendous class and integrity,” Danny White said in a press release. “I have given much thought and consideration to this decision, and it is time to move in a different direction. We thank Joi for all of her efforts and wish her the best in her future endeavors.”
“I would like to thank President Hitt, Keith Tribble and Todd Stansbury for giving me the opportunity to lead the UCF women’s basketball program for the last nine years,” Williams said in a press release. “I took great pride in leading the team into post season competition, watching student-athletes graduate and in being a role model for the young women in my program. To every young woman I have coached at UCF, it has been my pleasure to serve you, coach you and teach you. My most sincere wishes for the best. I wish Danny White and the University of Central Florida family success for years to come.”
Williams’ teams went 114-163 and 59-91 in nine years as head coach of the Knights’ women’s basketball team. UCF went 7-23 and 4-14 this year with an average scoring margin of -10.3 points per game.
UCF just could not get consistent offense and play at a high level within the difficult American Athletic Conference.
The job should have some attraction though. UCF is in the middle of a big city with lots of opportunities for exposure and a great university to sell. There is some talent on the team in sophomore Zykira Lewis, who averaged a team-high 14.2 points per game. Lewis had to carry a very heavy load of the offense though, taking 423 shots, more than 125 more shots than the next player on the roster.
That is a sign of UCF’s struggles on the court and difficulties keeping up with the other teams in the conference and around the nation.
It is pretty clear Danny White expects his programs to make progress and deliver a winning product and winning experience to the student athletes on campus. Like he did in hiring Scott Frost, he has big visions for the athletic department. This will be another big coaching hire for the new athletic director as he reshapes the athletic program.
This is a program that has struggled mightily lately. And a program, like most programs at UCF, that could use a step up.
