Larry Williams
Athletic Director
Phone: 503-943-7117
Email: williams@up.edu
Larry Williams has been at the helm of the University of Portland’s Athletic Department during an exciting era of growth and achievement.
Williams stresses the expansion of a culture of fierce competition wherein coaches and student-athletes strive to perform at their highest potential. Now in his sixth year on The Bluff, he has spearheaded numerous projects that have enhanced Portland’s athletic and academic performance, brand awareness, sports facilities and resources, and aptitude to serve as host for regional and national athletic championships.
Under Williams’ guidance, the Portland Pilots claimed a second NCAA Division I Championship in women's soccer in 2005. The men's cross country program advanced to four NCAA Championships, men's tennis earned its first-ever national ranking, and the Pilots finished tied for 100th in the 2005-06 U.S. Sports Academy Directors' Cup Standings. A total of 25 student-athletes have garnered All-America recognition under his watch.
During the 2008-09 season, the Pilots won West Coast Conference Championships in men’s and women’s cross country and women’s soccer, while also seeing both basketball programs participate in postseason play. The women’s basketball team, picked to finish eighth in the preseason, placed second in the league standings and earned a berth in the WNIT. The men’s program tallied the second most wins in school history as a Division I member (19) and participated in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament, marking just the third postseason appearance and first since 1996.
So too have Pilot student-athletes achieved in the classroom during Williams’ tenure as seven individuals have earned Academic All-America honors and two former athletes have received prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships. Each of the University’s athletic programs have consistently performed above the NCAA prescribed Academic Progress Report baseline with five programs recognized in the last two years for performing among the top 10% in the country.
Externally, Williams has aggressively pursued numerous television contracts that have substantially increased the presence of Portland Pilots soccer and basketball on the air in local, regional, and national television markets. Attendance at Portland athletic events has also seen remarkable growth, including leading the NCAA in average women’s soccer attendance four consecutive years. Williams also led the effort for the newly unveiled University of Portland athletics logo and word marks, providing the University with a guided plan for brand enhancement entering the 2007-08 sports season.
Williams has overseen the continuing process of renovating Portland’s athletic facilities, including the Clive Charles Soccer Complex - one of the nation's finest soccer settings and a premier venue for both student-athletes and fans. In 2006, a build-out of the Chiles Center allowed more space for the renovation of all women's locker rooms. Then in 2007 new natural grass and FieldTurf practice fields were installed, and stadium concourse upgrades were completed. The Pilot sports performance program has also enjoyed significant upgrades throughout 2007 and 2008 resulting in a speed and strength program that is attaining a premier status.
The University has hosted numerous high profile athletics events during Williams' tenure, including women's soccer NCAA playoff matches in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2008. Portland served as host of the 2006 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships in Sunriver, Ore., the 2006 NCAA West Regional Cross Country Championships, the 2007 West Coast Conference Basketball Championships, and the 2008 WCC Golf Championships.
Williams also provides leadership at the national and conference level as he currently serves on the NCAA Championships and Sports Sponsorship Cabinet and the NCAA Men’s Basketball Issues Committee, and chairs the West Coast Conference Athletic Directors Council.
Williams was hired as the Director of Athletics and Recreation at the University of Portland in June of 2004 after directing the licensing and product marketing efforts from 1999-2003 at his alma mater, the University of Notre Dame. Under Williams’ guidance Notre Dame’s licensing revenue enjoyed significant improvement.
Prior to returning to his alma mater, Williams practiced law for six years for the Indianapolis based law firm of Baker & Daniels. There he frequently represented numerous clients in the sports industry on a variety of business law matters.
As a consummate believer in the student-athlete model, Williams completed law school during his years as a professional athlete, graduating in 1992 from the University of San Diego School of Law.
Williams is a native of Santa Ana, California. He was a two-time All-America offensive lineman for the Fighting Irish before heading to the professional playing ranks in National Football League from 1985-1993. In the NFL, he played in several memorable playoff and conference championship games, participated in a variety of community outreach programs and negotiated player employment contracts with NFL clubs.
Williams is married to Laura Lee, a former collegiate all-American and national champion tennis player at Notre Dame. They have five children Kristin (22, Santa Clara ’09, Marshall School of Law), Sean (20, a Junior member of the football team at Yale), Scott (18, a Freshman member of the football team at Yale), Eric (15) and Louis (11).
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