LA GRANDE, Ore. (EOU) - Rob Cashell, director of athletics at Eastern Oregon University, has announced the hiring of Isaac Williams as the new head men's basketball coach. Williams replaces Ryan Looney who accepted the head coaching position at Seattle Pacific University last week.
"Isaac Williams has an inspiring personal story about how basketball has helped shape his life," Cashell said. "The passion he brings to developing young men academically, socially and athletically is contagious and I look forward to working with him in his new role as head coach."
Williams, an EOU graduate and former player for the Mountaineers, has been the assistant coach for the past five seasons along with the duties of sports information and marketing. During that time the Mountaineers have enjoyed the most success in the basketball program's history. Williams has been a part of a team that has been a combined 95-55 and won back-to-back Cascade Conference Championships. In addition the last two years the Mountaineers have advanced to the sweet 16 and also to the elite eight at the NAIA national tournament.
Prior to returning to his alma mater in 2004 Williams had four successful seasons as the head girls' basketball coach at La Grande High School. Williams led the Tigers to the OSAA 3A basketball state tournament three times. During those three years the Tigers made appearances in the state semi-final games, with a second-place finish in 2001-02. After the 2001-02 season,
Williams was named "The Oregonian" newspaper's 3A Coach of the Year, and was twice named Greater Oregon Coach of the Year. Williams is also an accomplished camp director and instructor holding the distinction of master teacher in the Northwest basketball Camp (NBC) organization.
Williams and Angie Abel are the proud parents of six-year-old son Isaiah who will enter first grade next year. Abel, an EOU and Oregon Health and Science University graduate, is the Wellness Promotion RN for EOU and serves as an OHSU clinical instructor in nursing at the La Grande campus.
Eastern Oregon University serves as an educational, cultural and scholarly center in La Grande, Oregon, connecting the rural regions of the state to a wider world.