LIBERTY, Mo. – William Jewell College has announced that Samantha Williams will move into a new role as Interim Head Volleyball Coach, effective August 7. Williams replaces Carolyn Beck who departed the program to pursue other professional opportunities.
 
"I am appreciative of Coach Williams' willingness and more importantly, eagerness, to take the reins of our volleyball program," said Interim Athletics Director Chris McCabe. "She has vast experiences at multiple levels of the sport and understands what it takes to be a head coach, having experience leading her own program previously. I'm excited to rally behind her and our student athletes as they compete this season."
 
Williams enters her third season on the sideline for Jewell this fall after two years in the assistant role. In 2022, she led two of the top hitters and blockers in the GLVC. Under her mentorship, Bella LaPorta ranked among the top-10 in the league in attacks, hitting percentage and kills per set. Additionally, Alex Dvorak was fifth in the conference in blocks per set as a true freshman, earning a spot on the Midwest Region Crossover All-Tournament Team. The Cardinals boasted 1,484 total kills, tops in the GLVC and were one of the best blocking teams in the league, finishing second behind only Lewis University with 1.54 rejections per set.
 
Williams spent six years as the head coach at Park Hill South High School, leading the Panthers to five conference titles with eight All-State players during that span.
 
As a player, she was one of the best athletes to ever play at Pittsburg State University (Kan.), being inducted into the school's Athletics Hall of Fame in 2022. She was the 2005 MIAA Freshman of the Year, four-time All-MIAA performer, and two-time All-American. She completed her career as the all-time kills leader with 1,825 over four seasons. Additionally, she finished second in attacks and sets played, among the top-10 in hitting percentage, digs and blocks and was the fourth player in program history to boast more than 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs. She played three seasons with Lindsberg Volleyball in the Swedish Volleyball Professional League.