The coach who led the University of South Dakota Women’s Basketball Team to the Women’s National Invitation Tournament championship is leaving Vermillion.
Amy Williams is returning to coach at her alma mater, the University of Nebraska.
One week ago, Amy Williams was celebrating the W-N-I-T championship at U-S-D’s Muenster University Center.
“There’s just no question that they’re going to be successful in whatever they put their mind to in life," the emotional coach told the gathering. "I mean—their uncanny ability to overcome disappointment, and refocus themselves toward new goals, and have each other’s backs, you know.
"This year, our theme was ‘GRITT’—Greatness Resides in Toughness Together.’ And they really bought into that, the true definition of 'grit,' and I could not be any more proud of a group of young women in my entire life.”
The national championship for the Coyotes put Williams on the University of Nebraska’s list to become their new head womens coach—and U-S-D officials announced Williams accepted the job in Lincoln. She played for the Cornhuskers in the mid-90's.
Williams won 96 games in four years with the Coyotes—and was named Summit League Coach of the Year twice. She replaces Connie Yori, whose resigned two weeks ago after 14 years at Nebraska. Williams made 180 thousand dollars her final season in Vermillion—Yori left the school after making nearly three quarters of a million dollars her last year at Nebraska. ?