H-SC Grad Returns to ODAC After Four Years at Furman
EMORY, Va. --- Emory & Henry College
has hired David Willson as Head Men's
Basketball Coach, Director of Athletics Myra
Sims announced Wednesday afternoon at a press
conference. Willson becomes the fifth coach to lead the Wasps
during the Old Dominion Athletic Conference era (since
1976-77).
"I am thrilled to join this wonderful community and look forward
to getting to know so many wonderful people associated with our
campus and program," commented Willson. "This is
a place moving in an exciting direction with a new president and a
committed faculty and staff."
"David Willson brings the right mix of enthusiasm and experience
for rebuilding the men's basketball program at Emory &
Henry," said Sims. "With a pool of 180
candidates for the position, there was a lengthy selection process
for the search committee to narrow down the group of three
outstanding finalists. He has garnered wide respect in the
coaching ranks and I am proud to have a bright star like David join
our staff."
A 2004 graduate of and three-year letterwinner at ODAC-rival
Hampden-Sydney College, Willson comes to E&H after serving the
past four seasons as an Assistant Coach at Furman University of the
Southern Conference. While at the Greenville, S.C. school, Willson
helped lead the Paladins to the program's best two-season win total
in over 30 years and their first postseason tournament in 10
years.
His day-to-day duties included assisting the head coach with game
preparation while directing walk-throughs and pregame scouting
reports. He was also responsible for scheduling, compliance with
NCAA regulations and the academic progress of the team. Willson was
selected by his peers as one of the Southern Conference's top
assistant coaches in 2011 according to a FoxSports.com survey.
"David has been a part of our league for several years, and I have
always admired him for his professionalism and have great respect
for what the staffs he was a part of
did," commented Mike Young, Head
Men's Basketball Coach at Wofford College and 1986 graduate of
Emory & Henry. "David contacted me about the E&H
job early in the process, and I immediately thought that you would
be hard-pressed to find a better candidate for Emory & Henry. I
am thrilled for him, Emory & Henry and the community. Emory
& Henry basketball got a lot better today."
Prior to his time at Furman, Willson was the Assistant Coach at
Elon University, also a SoCon member, from 2005-09. He contributed
to the Phoenix's Southern Conference divisional championship in
2006, the program's only winning season since moving to NCAA
Division I and an appearance in the Southern Conference Tournament
championship in 2008. In addition to the on-court success, Willson
worked extensively as a recruiter, with summer camps and with
academic progress. He also oversaw team travel, scheduling,
scouting and film exchange.
"During the process of learning more about David, I came to view
him as someone with charisma who will be able to develop positive
relationships with current and potential student-athletes. I also
found him to be a great evaluator of talent, someone who will work
tirelessly to develop an effective recruiting plan, well-versed in
the tradition of Emory & Henry men's basketball, and someone
who really wants to be at this level and build a
program," Sims added.
Willson got his start in college coaching during the 2004-05
season at the College of William & Mary under Tony
Shaver, who he played for while an undergraduate at
Hampden-Sydney. During his year with the Tribe, he was responsible
for scouting, recruiting, player development and community
engagement.
"I know David from coaching him and coaching with him and can say
that he is a great person that will do what is right and that he
also has great basketball knowledge,"Shaver
said. "After being a Division I assistant for nine years,
he knows that he wants to be a Division III coach. David is a great
fit as he knows the ODAC and E&H, and I have a feeling that he
will be there for a long time. I am really excited for him."
As a player at H-SC from 2001-04, Willson went to three NCAA
Tournaments, two ODAC Championships (2002, 2004) and the 2003 NCAA
Division III Final Four with the Tigers. He earned an All-ODAC
Honorable Mention selection as a senior in 2004 when he also served
as team captain. Willson played for one season at Southern
Methodist University before transferring to Hampden-Sydney. Growing
up for several years in nearby Elizabethton, Tenn., Willson was a
finalist in 1999 for Tennessee's Mr. Basketball award after moving
to Memphis and playing at the Memphis University School.
"His Northeast Tennessee roots and his familiarity with the ODAC
will serve him well in recruiting the right type of student-athlete
to E&H. I believe that he will be a solid member of the E&H
community in every way as he is a strong family man who will
develop relationships not only with current and potential
student-athletes, but also with faculty, alumni, high school and
AAU coaches, as well as the general community. He has a strong
coaching pedigree and I am confident that we found the right
coach to lead the program forward to a new era of
success," Sims concluded.
Willson holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from
Hampden-Sydney, which he earned in 2004. He is married to the
former Anne Benham, who played volleyball and lacrosse at Sweet
Briar College. The couple has two children, Maggie (four) and Ellie
(two).
"I am confident that our athletic department has a bright future
with Myra Sims as Director of Athletics," continued
Willson. "My effort will be to build a program that stands
for excellence in all phases. We want to help our players become
better men and we want to compete for championships in one of the
best Division III leagues in America. This is no small task, but we
will commit a meaningful process to achieve it."
--- This release is
courtesy of the Emory & Henry College sports information
department. ---
www.gowasps.com