Josh Williams
Josh Williams
Title: Head Men's Golf Coach
Phone: 567-661-2643
Email: joshua_williams@owens.edu
Year: 4th Year
Previous College: Owens Community College

Josh Williams spent four very successful seasons as the head men's golf coach at Owens Community College before the college announced the suspension of the program beginning in 2016-17. He was an assistant coach with the program for the five years prior to taking over as head coach.

In his four years, he led the program to previously unseen heights by guiding the program to four straight top 10 finishes at the NJCAA Division II National Tournament (10th in 2013, 5th in 2014, 9th in 2015 and 5th in 2016), including the two best finishes in program history (2014 and 2016). In 2014, he helped the team achieve its first No. 1 NJCAA Division II national poll ranking in program history.

Additionally, in his four years, Williams guided Owens to 45 tournament wins (8 in 2015 and 2016), three OCCAC championships (2013, 2014, 2016), two OCCAC Ryder Cup tournament championships (2013, 2014), four straight Sub-Region XII tournament championships and three Region XII tournament championships (2013, 2014, 2016).

Williams also coached four straight Region XII Player of the Year winners (Brandon Hoelzer in 2013 and 2014, Harrison Long in 2015 and Dominic DiGiacomo in 2016), the 2014 OCCAC Player of the Year (Hoelzer), the 2016 OCCAC Player of the Year (Will Mullins) a PING First Team All-American (Hoelzer, 2013-14), a PING Second Team All-American (Long, 2015) a PING Honorable Mention All-American (Hoelzer, 2013), two NJCAA Division II Honorable Mention All-Americans (Hoelzer, 2013 and Long, 2015), three NJCAA Division II Second Team All-Americans (DiGiacomo in 2016, Philippe Weppernig in 2014 and Long in 2014), 11 PING All-East Region players, 20 All-OCCAC players and eight First Team All-Region XII players.

Williams is also a three-time OCCAC and Region XII coach of the year.

In 2015-16, Williams led Owens to its third conference championship in his four years. In perhaps the most dominant conference performance in league history, six of the league's top eight golfers came from Owens with three players earning First Team All-OCCAC recognition and another three making Second Team All-OCCAC. Sophomore Will Mullins won the OCCAC Player of the Year award. Owens captured its third Region XII championship in his tenure with Dominic DiGiacomo winning Region XII Player of the Year by finishing as the medalist. Dylan Holsclaw and Will Mullins joined DiGiacomo as First Team All-Region XII selections. At the NJCAA Division II National Tournament, Owens tied its best finish in program history by taking fifth place. DiGiacomo had the best individual finish of any Owens golfer in program history by finishing 15th and earning NJCAA Second Team All-American recognition. For the second consecutive season, Owens captured eight first place finishes.

In 2015, Williams guided Owens to eight wins in 15 tournaments. The team finished second in six others and ninth in the final one. The team finished second in the OCCAC, won the Sub-Region XII tournament, finished second in the Region XII tournament and advanced to the NJCAA Division II National Tournament in Scottsboro, Ala., where they finished ninth.

In 2014, Williams coached Owens in 21 tournaments. Of those, the team won 17 of them, finished second in two, third in another and fifth in the national tournament. They won the OCCAC regular season championship, the OCCAC Ryder Cup championship, the Sub-Region XII tournament and won the Region XII tournament. The team averaged 298.5 strokes per 18 holes in the fall, 300.9 in the spring and 299.9 overall. In OCCAC play, the team won five of six tournaments and averaged 304.3 strokes per 18 holes in mostly non-pleasant weather. He coached three All-Americans (Weppernig, Long, Hoelzer), three PING All-East Region players and three First Team All-Region XII players, including the Region XII player of the Year (Hoelzer).

In 2012-13, Williams guided Owens to their second best season in program history behind 2014. After capturing 12 regular season tournament championships, including first place in every OCCAC tournament, the team won the OCCAC regular season championship, the OCCAC Ryder Cup championship, the Sub-Region XII championship, the Region XII championship and finished 10th at the NJCAA D-II National Tournament.

Under the direction of Williams, Hoelzer was named Region XII Player of the Year and was an NJCAA D-II Honorable Mention All-American as a freshman. Additionally, a total of seven players earned All-OCCAC honors, and Williams was named OCCAC Coach of the Year and Region XII Coach of the Year. Williams also saw four of his players earn First Team All-Region XII honors. Academically, two of his players earned Academic All-OCCAC honors, as well as NJCAA Exemplary Academic Achievement honors.

Williams has been a member of the Owens men's golf program since its inception in 2005-06. During his two years as a student-athlete with the team from 2005-07, he was a First Team All-OCCAC selection, an NJCAA D-II Sub Regional Medalist, a team captain, a Coaches Award recipient, and was part of the 2005-06 NJCAA D-II National Tournament qualifying team, where he finished 114th individually. Williams still holds the program record for lowest nine hole score (30).

Following his playing career, Williams took over as an assistant coach with the program, and he held that position for five seasons.

Williams, who also served as an assistant coach for the Owens men's basketball program in 2011-12 prior to becoming the head men's golf coach, previously served as the head varsity boys basketball coach at North Baltimore High School, where he compiled a 43-19 record from 2008-11. Additionally, Williams has held freshmen and varsity assistant coaching positions at Toledo Start High School. As the freshmen coach, he led the team to a Toledo City League runner-up finish.

Williams played four years of basketball, golf, and track, along with one year of football at Arcadia High School, where he is a member of the Arcadia High School Athletic Hall of Fame.

The Perrysburg resident serves as the Vice President of Operations at Lakeland Golf Course in Fostoria, and he also teaches golf lessons at Maumee Sports Mall. For five years, he taught Health and Physical Education classes as an adjunct faculty member for Owens. Williams is currently working towards a degree in sport management and athletic administration from Ashford University.