Kent Williams – MVC Hall of Fame

(St. Louis, MO) – Kent Williams wasn’t expecting a phone call about joining the Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame. He often speaks with Valley Commissioner Doug Elgin, so Elgin’s phone call didn’t set off any kind of emotions, until the words, ‘you’ve been elected to the Hall of Fame’ came through the phone receiver.

Getting The Call

Williams says that you can’t prepare for a hall of fame phone call. As a former collegiate assistant coach and the current head basketball coach at De Smet Jesuit High School (St. Louis) his conversation with Elgin began as many do, but then came the hall of fame surprise.

 

 

A 2003 Southern Illinois graduate built a brilliant collegiate basketball career amassing over 2,000 career points. During Williams’ stint in Carbondale, the Salukis qualified for two NCAA tournament berths and one trip to the NIT. SIU reached 2002’s Sweet Sixteen.

Why SIU?

As a prolific high school scorer, Williams chose Southern Illinois over several other Division 1 offers. He signed with SIU as a part of Bruce Weber’s first recruiting class. The Mount Vernon, Illinois resident wanted to help put SIU back on the college map.

 

 

Williams was a two-time All-MVC performer and was named the Valley’s 2000 ‘Freshman of the Year’. His 2,012 points are second most in Saluki history. His teams won two league championships and began an SIU streak of six straight NCAA Tournament appearances.

Kent Williams truly belongs in the Valley Hall of Fame.

Leaving a Legacy

Williams says Weber made a big impact on his career and the current Kansas State coach recruited the St. Louis/Southern Illinois area very well. Many of his teammates were players he knew from AAU basketball. Williams says he and his teammates were proud to begin an SIU legacy of success.

 

 

Williams will be inducted into the Missouri Valley’s Hall of Fame during Arch Madness. He joins the incoming HOF class of two other basketball related inductees, Kristi Cirone (Illinois State); Dolph Pulliam (Drake); a wrestling Olympian in Bill Smith (UNI); a legendary track & field coach in John McNichols (Indiana State); and a long-time contributor to Bradley University athletics in Joe Stowell.

Commissioner Elgin says the 2019 hall of fame class is special.

“The individuals we will be honoring in the Class of 2019 have brought significant honor to themselves, their institutions and to the Conference.”

SIU was 88-42 during Williams four-year career where he not only was the second leading scorer (to Charlie Vaughn) he established the record for minutes played, while finishing second all-time in three-pointers and free throws.

He’ll join the Hall of Fame on March 8.

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