CEDAR CITY, Utah – After seven seasons leading the Southern Utah softball program, Don Don Williams has announced she is retiring from her position as head coach of the Thunderbirds. Williams, who has been in coaching for more than three decades, has accepted an athletic administration position at the University of Notre Dame beginning later this month.
Williams was hired in August of 2019 and guided the program through one of the most transformative periods in its history, overseeing the team's transition from the Big Sky Conference to the Western Athletic Conference and back while building a culture centered on competitive growth, academic excellence, and student-athlete development.
"Coach Williams has had a lasting impact on Southern Utah Softball and the many student-athletes she has mentored throughout her career," said Interim Director of Athletics Tom Higbee. "We are grateful for her dedication to our program and university and wish her nothing but success in the future."
Williams concludes her tenure at Southern Utah following the 2026 season, during which the Thunderbirds finished 21-30, tying for the most victories during her time in Cedar City. The season included a conference tournament victory over Utah Tech and another All-WAC performer.
Over her final three seasons, Williams helped elevate the program's competitiveness within the WAC. In 2025, Southern Utah earned a third-place regular-season conference finish and made its second consecutive appearance in the WAC Tournament. The Thunderbirds posted a 13-11 conference record, placed two student-athletes on the All-WAC Team, and earned three CSC Academic All-District selections.
The 2024 season marked another milestone in Williams' coaching career as she collected her 700th career victory. That season, Southern Utah made its first appearance in the WAC Tournament and defeated rival Utah Tech to advance to the second round. The Thunderbirds showed significant offensive improvement under Williams' leadership, increasing their batting average, slugging percentage, home run production, and run scoring from the previous season. The team's success extended into the classroom, where 11 student-athletes earned NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete recognition.
One of the signature seasons of Williams' tenure came in 2021 when the Thunderbirds finished 20-30 overall and 10-8 in Big Sky Conference play, earning the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament and advancing to the Big Sky Championship game. Southern Utah led the conference in home runs and runs scored while setting a program record for single-season slugging percentage (.484).
The 2021 squad also produced multiple all-conference performers, highlighted by Brooke Brown, who earned Big Sky Newcomer of the Year honors and First Team All-Conference recognition after setting the program's single-season home run record with 17 long balls.
The COVID-19 pandemic shortened Williams' first season in Cedar City, but the Thunderbirds still captured five victories, including wins over Power Five opponents Oregon State, Wisconsin, and Michigan State. Southern Utah also improved its NCAA RPI significantly during the abbreviated campaign.
Beyond wins and losses, Williams prioritized academic achievement throughout her tenure. Her teams consistently excelled in the classroom, producing numerous conference academic honorees, CSC Academic All-District selections, and NFCA Scholar-Athlete recipients.
Before arriving at Southern Utah, Williams built one of the premier junior college softball programs in the country at North Idaho College. During her time with the Cardinals, she amassed 661 victories, won multiple conference championships, led teams to national tournament appearances, and helped North Idaho capture the 2018 NWAC Championship with a remarkable 50-3 record. Her accomplishments earned multiple Coach of the Year honors, including NWAC East Region Coach of the Year recognition in 2016 and 2018.
Williams' coaching career began after a successful playing career at Linfield University, where she earned All-Conference and All-District honors before graduating with a bachelor's degree in psychology and sociology. She later earned a master's degree in adult and organizational learning and leadership from the University of Idaho.
Throughout a coaching career spanning more than three decades and over 700 victories, Williams has impacted countless student-athletes through her commitment to excellence, leadership, and education.
Southern Utah Athletics thanks Coach Williams for her years of service and dedication to Thunderbirds Softball and wishes her the very best in her future endeavors.
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