University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Cross Country
Williamson, Danny
Danny Williamson
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- dwilli17@unca.edu
- Phone:
- 251-6921
Danny Williamson recently wrapped up his first season as UNC Asheville's Head Men's and Women's Track & Field/Cross Country Coach in 2019-20.
UNC Asheville Director of Athletics Janet R. Cone announced the addition of legendary head coach Danny Williamson as the new UNC Asheville men's and women's track & field/cross country head coach on Tuesday, June 4, 2019.
Williamson joins the Bulldogs after spending the last two years at Lenoir-Rhyne. Prior to that, Williamson put together a storied almost 30-year career as the men's and women's track & field/cross country head coach at Western Carolina from 1987-2016.
"We are so excited to add Danny and his family to our Bulldog Team," Cone said. "He brings a wealth of knowledge and experiences in how to build championship programs that are student-athlete centered. Our student-athletes and assistant coaches have an opportunity to be coached and mentored daily by a Champion in Athletics and Leader in Life. We are looking forward to working with Danny and watching our teams climb to new levels."
Already a resident of Asheville, Williamson is thrilled for the opportunity provided to him at UNC Asheville.
"I would like to thank Dr. Nancy J. Cable, Janet R. Cone, Terri Brne, Rebecca Nelms, the entire search committee and the UNC Asheville student-athletes and athletic family for the opportunity to lead the track & field/cross country program. I think it is exciting because I have always viewed Asheville as an unbelievable institution that you can get talent to attend because of the location and what the university has to offer," Williamson said. "Words cannot describe how happy I am. This job lets me be at home and that is really important to me to be with my family on a daily basis. That is one of my philosophies as a coach is that we are all family."
In his two years at Lenoir-Rhyne, Williamson transformed the track and field/cross country program. He was named the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Women's Southeast Region Coach of the Year this past season after he led the Bears to their first-ever South Atlantic Conference Championship. He earned SAC Women's Coach of the Year honors, while also leading the men's team to a second place finish at the conference championship.
Williamson guided Western Carolina to 32 Southern Conference titles. He was named SoCon Coach of the Year 39 times.
During his time at Western Carolina, Williamson coached over 700 student-athletes in track and field to All-SoCon accolades and led over 250 student-athletes in cross country and track and field to individual conference event championships. In addition, 19 Catamounts were named SoCon Athletes of the Year and three student-athletes earned NCAA Division I All-American honors in track and field under Williamson's guidance.
Williamson was also an instructor of Health and Human Performance at Western Carolina and was the Southern Conference Representative on the USTFCCCA Executive Committee for seven years (2007-14).
Williamson earned numerous coaching honors in track & field during his time at Western Carolina, including the NCAA Division I Indoor and Outdoor Southeast Region Coach Of The Year (2006), the USTFCCCA NCAA Division I Southeast Region Indoor Coach Of The Year (2004 and 2005), the USTFCCCA NCAA Division I Southeast Region Outdoor Coach Of The Year (2005) and the 10K Southern Conference Men's Outdoor Track and Field Hard Charger Coaches Award in 1999.
Williamson is a 1985 graduate of Western Carolina University with a Bachelor's degree in Physical Education. He completed his Master's in Education at WCU in 1986.
What Others Are Saying About the Hire of Danny Williamson
Manteo Mitchell
US & World Champion | Olympic Silver Medalist
Former Student-Athlete at Western Carolina
"Pops (what Manteo calls Williamson) and I talk often. He was my coach from 2005 until 2016 and he is still my mentor and one of my best friends. UNC Asheville has added a great leader and all-around person! I've witnessed him do so much with so little and that's just a testament to how passionate he is for the sport and the student-athletes. As a professional athlete under his tutelage, we've reached places I never thought were possible. I have no doubt that the culture within the UNC Asheville track and field program will change for the better. With that, the championships and results are on the horizon."
Jesse Norman
Former UNC Asheville Head Coach and Student-Athlete Under Williamson at Western Carolina
Current Western Carolina Head Track & Field/Cross Country Coach
"I am super-excited that Janet Cone has decided to hire Danny as the next UNC Asheville head coach. This is a great hire and I have no doubt that he will build upon the past successes and take the program to another level. I'm excited to see what the future holds for UNC Asheville. The Bulldogs have done a great job with this hire!"
George Watts
Director of Track & Field/Cross Country
ETSU
"Danny Williamson is a great hire for UNC Asheville. He's a tireless recruiter, a fine coach and proven winner wherever he's been. He has a passion for the sports of cross country and track & field and he will push his athletes to be successful in all of their endeavors."
Harlis J. Meaders
Director of Track and Field and Cross Country
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
"Danny Williamson is one of the most respected directors of track and field in the NCAA. He has a distinguished career of coaching champions at every level. His athletes have excelled at the conference, NCAA and Olympic levels. At the same time he has mentored students towards hundreds of college degrees. His graduates are leaders in the community and in their families. I am honored to call him both a friend and a mentor. I have no doubt that he will continue to build champions at UNC Asheville and add to your winning tradition."
Johnny C. Bomar
Head Cross Country/Track & Field Coach
Wofford
"I think that Danny brings a wealth of knowledge about the sport and decades of recruiting contacts and experience to the position. Danny is driven and as we can see from the short time he was at Lenoir-Rhyne he can build a winning program. With Coach Williamson back at the Division I mid-major level he has just made the job of everyone in the southeast more challenging. I am definitely excited to see what Coach Williamson can do with the programs at UNC Asheville."
UNC Asheville Director of Athletics Janet R. Cone announced the addition of legendary head coach Danny Williamson as the new UNC Asheville men's and women's track & field/cross country head coach on Tuesday, June 4, 2019.
Williamson joins the Bulldogs after spending the last two years at Lenoir-Rhyne. Prior to that, Williamson put together a storied almost 30-year career as the men's and women's track & field/cross country head coach at Western Carolina from 1987-2016.
"We are so excited to add Danny and his family to our Bulldog Team," Cone said. "He brings a wealth of knowledge and experiences in how to build championship programs that are student-athlete centered. Our student-athletes and assistant coaches have an opportunity to be coached and mentored daily by a Champion in Athletics and Leader in Life. We are looking forward to working with Danny and watching our teams climb to new levels."
Already a resident of Asheville, Williamson is thrilled for the opportunity provided to him at UNC Asheville.
"I would like to thank Dr. Nancy J. Cable, Janet R. Cone, Terri Brne, Rebecca Nelms, the entire search committee and the UNC Asheville student-athletes and athletic family for the opportunity to lead the track & field/cross country program. I think it is exciting because I have always viewed Asheville as an unbelievable institution that you can get talent to attend because of the location and what the university has to offer," Williamson said. "Words cannot describe how happy I am. This job lets me be at home and that is really important to me to be with my family on a daily basis. That is one of my philosophies as a coach is that we are all family."
In his two years at Lenoir-Rhyne, Williamson transformed the track and field/cross country program. He was named the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Women's Southeast Region Coach of the Year this past season after he led the Bears to their first-ever South Atlantic Conference Championship. He earned SAC Women's Coach of the Year honors, while also leading the men's team to a second place finish at the conference championship.
Williamson guided Western Carolina to 32 Southern Conference titles. He was named SoCon Coach of the Year 39 times.
During his time at Western Carolina, Williamson coached over 700 student-athletes in track and field to All-SoCon accolades and led over 250 student-athletes in cross country and track and field to individual conference event championships. In addition, 19 Catamounts were named SoCon Athletes of the Year and three student-athletes earned NCAA Division I All-American honors in track and field under Williamson's guidance.
Williamson was also an instructor of Health and Human Performance at Western Carolina and was the Southern Conference Representative on the USTFCCCA Executive Committee for seven years (2007-14).
Williamson earned numerous coaching honors in track & field during his time at Western Carolina, including the NCAA Division I Indoor and Outdoor Southeast Region Coach Of The Year (2006), the USTFCCCA NCAA Division I Southeast Region Indoor Coach Of The Year (2004 and 2005), the USTFCCCA NCAA Division I Southeast Region Outdoor Coach Of The Year (2005) and the 10K Southern Conference Men's Outdoor Track and Field Hard Charger Coaches Award in 1999.
Williamson is a 1985 graduate of Western Carolina University with a Bachelor's degree in Physical Education. He completed his Master's in Education at WCU in 1986.
What Others Are Saying About the Hire of Danny Williamson
Manteo Mitchell
US & World Champion | Olympic Silver Medalist
Former Student-Athlete at Western Carolina
"Pops (what Manteo calls Williamson) and I talk often. He was my coach from 2005 until 2016 and he is still my mentor and one of my best friends. UNC Asheville has added a great leader and all-around person! I've witnessed him do so much with so little and that's just a testament to how passionate he is for the sport and the student-athletes. As a professional athlete under his tutelage, we've reached places I never thought were possible. I have no doubt that the culture within the UNC Asheville track and field program will change for the better. With that, the championships and results are on the horizon."
Jesse Norman
Former UNC Asheville Head Coach and Student-Athlete Under Williamson at Western Carolina
Current Western Carolina Head Track & Field/Cross Country Coach
"I am super-excited that Janet Cone has decided to hire Danny as the next UNC Asheville head coach. This is a great hire and I have no doubt that he will build upon the past successes and take the program to another level. I'm excited to see what the future holds for UNC Asheville. The Bulldogs have done a great job with this hire!"
George Watts
Director of Track & Field/Cross Country
ETSU
"Danny Williamson is a great hire for UNC Asheville. He's a tireless recruiter, a fine coach and proven winner wherever he's been. He has a passion for the sports of cross country and track & field and he will push his athletes to be successful in all of their endeavors."
Harlis J. Meaders
Director of Track and Field and Cross Country
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
"Danny Williamson is one of the most respected directors of track and field in the NCAA. He has a distinguished career of coaching champions at every level. His athletes have excelled at the conference, NCAA and Olympic levels. At the same time he has mentored students towards hundreds of college degrees. His graduates are leaders in the community and in their families. I am honored to call him both a friend and a mentor. I have no doubt that he will continue to build champions at UNC Asheville and add to your winning tradition."
Johnny C. Bomar
Head Cross Country/Track & Field Coach
Wofford
"I think that Danny brings a wealth of knowledge about the sport and decades of recruiting contacts and experience to the position. Danny is driven and as we can see from the short time he was at Lenoir-Rhyne he can build a winning program. With Coach Williamson back at the Division I mid-major level he has just made the job of everyone in the southeast more challenging. I am definitely excited to see what Coach Williamson can do with the programs at UNC Asheville."
LJ Thorpe Chalk Talk | Men's Basketball
Wednesday, August 27
Alumni Interview || Clay Edmondson || Baseball
Monday, August 04
Why Asheville || Payton Rolfsen || Volleyball
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Why Asheville || Addie Cooper || Women's Soccer
Tuesday, June 17
