Marquette Assistant Coach 2007 - 2008
Marquette Head Coach 2008 - Present

Milwaukee - Brent “Buzz” Williams, a highly respected recruiter and veteran of the collegiate coaching ranks, has been named the 16th head coach of the Marquette University men's basketball program, MU President Robert A. Wild, S.J., and Director of Athletics Steve Cottingham confirmed Monday night.

The university held a press conference Tuesday, April 8th, 2008 to formally introduce Williams. Students, faculty, staff, alumni and the general public were invited to attend. The press conference began at 2 p.m. at the Al McGuire Center, 770 N. 12th St.

In 2007-08, Williams served as an assistant coach with the Golden Eagles in his first season at Marquette. MU concluded the year 25-10 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2003.

His coaching career has included stints as an assistant, associate head and head coach. He has nearly 15 years of experience at the NCAA Division I level. Williams has recruited and coached over 20 players who have earned all-conference accolades, including one league player of the year and two conference freshmen of the year.

“When I met with Buzz, I was convinced that he brings us a passion for college basketball and our BIG EAST conference, and a commitment to both Marquette and the high-level of play our fans have come to expect from Marquette basketball,” Father Wild said.

Williams arrived in Milwaukee after serving for one season as the head coach at the University of New Orleans. He guided the Privateers to a 14-win campaign in 2006-07 and his roster featured Bo McCalebb, the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year. UNO (14-17) claimed fourth place in the Sun Belt's Western Division and advanced to the league tournament quarterfinals. His recruiting class for the 2007-08 season was ranked in the top 50 nationally by HoopScoop Online.

Prior to UNO, Williams served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Texas A&M for two seasons (2004-05 - 2005-06) under head coach Billy Gillispie. Both of his recruiting classes with the Aggies were ranked among the best in the nation and featured some of the top-ranked talent at the prep level. The squad made its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 25 years in 2005-06 and the previous team posted the top turnaround in the nation, improving its win total in 2004-05 by 14 games compared to 2003-04.

“Early on in this process it became clear that Buzz provided the right fit the University was looking for as the men's basketball program at Marquette begins another era in its storied history,” Director of Athletics Steve Cottingham said. “Buzz is a tireless worker, a nationally recognized recruiter and has developed a quality relationship with the players and staff during his tenure at Marquette. All of these qualities, as well as many others, make me confident he will be able to continue the program's continued rise at the national level.”

Williams spent four seasons (2000-01 - 2003-04) at Colorado State, serving as an assistant the first three seasons before being promoted to associate head coach in 2003-04. Two of his recruiting classes were ranked among the 40-best in the nation, including the 2003 group, which was tabbed No. 1 in the Western Athletic Conference.

Colorado State made its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 13 years during his tenure and he was named one of the top assistants in the country by HoopScoop Online.

Williams was previously an assistant at Northwestern State (1999-2000), Texas A&M- Kingsville (1998-99) and UT-Arlington (1994-98).

Williams signed the highest-rated recruiting class in the history of the Southland Conference while at Northwestern State. The Demons advanced to their first ever NCAA tournament the following season and two of his recruited players were named All-Conference, while one was tabbed Southland Conference Tournament MVP.

His accomplishments at Texas A&M-Kingsville include signing the 1998-99 Lone Star Conference Freshman of the Year and a third team All-America guard from Panola Junior College.

At Texas-Arlington, Williams recruited a Southland Conference Freshman of the Year and signed the first Academic All-American in the school's history.

Williams was a student assistant coach from 1992-94 at Oklahoma City University where he assisted the team to the 1994 NAIA championship after it advanced to the Sweet 16 the previous season.

Williams served as a student assistant from 1990-92 at Navarro College (Corsicana, Texas) where the team won consecutive conference titles while sporting a 45-17 record during his tenure.

The Van Alstyne, Texas, native earned a bachelor's degree in kinesiology from Oklahoma City University in 1994 before completing his master's work in the same field at Texas A&M-Kingsville in 1999. Williams is married to the former Corey Norman and the couple has one daughter, Zera, and two sons, Calvin and Mason.

Tom Crean on hiring Buzz- “I've admired Buzz Williams' work from a far for some time and have grown to appreciate it even more as I've gotten to know him over the last year,” Crean said. “Adding a person of his character, integrity and talent to our staff means a great deal to me. “I know our players, fans and future recruits will all feel the same way,” Crean added. “Adding Buzz to Bennie Seltzer, Tim Buckley and Brian Barone, gives us a staff I'm really excited to compete with in the Big East and nationally.”

Williams on his experience at UNO and joining MU- “I am very grateful for the opportunity I was presented at the University of New Orleans,” Williams said. “I am ecstatic about the chance to join coach Crean's staff and I am extremely excited about the future of Marquette basketball.”

Marquette head coach, Buzz Williams (fourth from the right), was an assistant on the Colorado State Rams basketball team when they lost to Duke, 67-57, in the first round of the NCAAs on March 20, 2003. CSU head coach, Dale Layer (far right, with his head down) is now one of Coach Williams's assistants at Marquette.