A longtime member of the Southern Illinois University community and former Saluki basketball coach has passed away.
Herman Williams Senior died Thursday at the age of 81.
Williams first joined SIU in 1974 as an assistant men’s basketball coach, serving under head coach Paul Lambert. After a brief stint at Auburn University, he returned to SIU in 1981, where he continued coaching before moving into Recreational Sports and Services — a role he held until his retirement in 2007.
That same year, Williams was honored nationally with the People of Color Distinguished Leadership Award from the National Intramural Recreational Sports Association.
