Gary Williams, the longtime Terrapin men’s basketball coach who took the program from the depths of scandal to its first-ever national championship in 2002, is retiring after 22 years, the school announced this afternoon.
Williams will speak at a press conference tomorrow afternoon with Athletics Director Kevin Anderson and university President Wallace Loh.
“It’s the right time,” Williams said in a release. “My entire career has been an unbelievable blessing. I am fiercely proud of the program we have built here. I couldn’t have asked any more from my players, my assistant coaches, the great Maryland fans and this great university. Together, we did something very special here.”
Williams, the fifth-winningest coach in the country and the third-winningest all time in the ACC, amassed an overall record of 668-380 in 33 years as a coach and 461-252 in more than two decades at this university.
Williams made 14 appearances in the NCAA Tournament won three ACC regular-season titles. His 2002 national championship was the first in program history and capped a dramatic turnaround of a program still reeling from the aftershock of Len Bias’ death and harsh NCAA sanctions received under former coach Bob Wade.
According to a release, Williams will stay on at this university as an assistant athletics director and special assistant to Anderson.
“Gary Williams is a legend,” Anderson said. “His accomplishments on the court have earned him a place among the elite in college basketball history. But Gary’s legacy here at Maryland goes far beyond basketball. From his philanthropic efforts to his tireless work with fans and alumni to his impact with our students, Gary has left an indelible mark of excellence on this university.”
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