COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The University of Maryland today named Gary Williams to a senior role overseeing athletics fundraising and spearheading university-wide alumni outreach. As Senior Managing Director for Alumni Relations and Athletic Development, Williams will be responsible for an athletic fundraising operation that raises over $8 million annually for student-athlete scholarships and operates the 8,000-donor Terrapin Club Scholarship Fund. Williams, who was recently enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, will focus on fundraising efforts to build new and renovate existing athletic facilities.
Williams will also work to integrate campus-wide alumni outreach, serve as spokesman for the Alumni Association's new 25th Anniversary Celebration, and help manage the University's new regional development plan in New York City, Baltimore, Los Angeles and South Florida. He will focus on increasing the engagement and philanthropy of the University's 320,000 alumni.
“Ultimately, I think my job is about building Maryland pride,” said Williams. “Our move to the Big Ten, the research that we do here, the students that study here, there's a lot to be proud of. I think I can make a positive difference and I'm excited to get to work.”
“This is an exciting moment in the history of the University of Maryland,” said President Wallace D. Loh. “I like to think of Gary Williams as our new head coach of athletic fundraising and alumni outreach. And I'm confident he will have the same level of success off the court as he did on it.”
“There is no better person who represents our university than Gary Williams,” said Director of Athletics Kevin Anderson. “When the opportunity presented itself to add Gary to our leadership team, we were eager to offer him this position to spearhead our fundraising efforts for scholarships and capital improvements. As a student-athlete, coach and ambassador with the Terrapins over the past five decades, Gary represents our 'Proud Past' and will be instrumental as we welcome the new 'Fearless Future' era at the University of Maryland.”
Williams served as a campaign co-chair for UMD's recently-completed $1 billion Great Expectations capital campaign. He will now play a leadership role within the Division of University Relations. Last year, the University raised over $142 million, best in UMD history.
“Gary Williams is joining our team at a particularly exciting time,” said Peter Weiler, Vice President, University Relations. “His relationships with alums and his deep affinity and love for this University will be invaluable assets as we build philanthropic support for the faculty, students and programs here at the University of Maryland.”
“Our alumni association actually began the very same year that Gary Williams arrived on campus as the new head coach in 1989,” said Nicole Pollard, President of the UMD Alumni Association. “I can think of no better ambassador for our 25th anniversary, and to help us grow the community of Terps around the globe.”
Williams earned his Bachelor's Degree in business administration from UMD in 1968. He has coached at both the high school and collegiate level, and has coached and led programs in the BIG EAST, ACC and Big Ten.
Williams led his alma mater's basketball program from a period of troubled times to an era of national prominence during his 22 seasons at the helm from 1989-2011. With 14 NCAA Tournament berths in his final 18 seasons, Williams and his staff garnered seven Sweet Sixteen appearances, a pair of consecutive Final Four showings, and the 2002 National Championship - the first of its kind in Maryland basketball history. In November 2014, Williams earned the ultimate honor in college basketball, when he was inducted into the aforementioned Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the College Basketball Hall of Fame.
