Willis Wilson - Head Coach Emeritus - Staff Directory

Staff Directory

Willis Wilson

Title:
Head Coach Emeritus

The winningest basketball coach at Rice and later at Texas A&M Corpus Christi, Wilson was appointed Head Coach Emeritus by Rice Vice President and Director of Athletics Tommy McClelland on February 9, 2024.

In his new role, Wilson will draw upon his 39 years of coaching as well as his 20 years on South Main as a student-athlete and coach to serve as a resource for all the coaches at Rice as well as assist the senior staff in serving the Owls’ staff, student-athletes and the larger Rice community.

“I am very excited to be back as part of Rice Athletics and the Rice community,” Wilson said “I hope that in some small way, I can contribute to the growth and success of the excellent coaches, athletes, and administrators who make up this fine department. I am so very thankful and humbled for this opportunity. President Reggie DesRoches and Vice President and Director of Athletics Tommy McClelland are excellent leaders who share a special vision for Rice, and I am proud to once again be a part of this community.”

“From the moment I first met Willis, it was apparent how much this university means to him and how passionately he wants to see it succeed at the highest level,” McClelland stated. “When I shared our vision and the commitment the university has made to athletics, I knew right away he wanted to join us in this effort. His wealth of experience will be an invaluable resource for our coaches, student-athletes, and staff and his love for this university reminds us the impact of coming to Rice is truly life-changing.”

“Willis Wilson represents the best of what Rice offers every student-athlete,” said DesRoches. “Not only was he a star and captain of the basketball team, he was a Fellow at Will Rice College and active in the Rice community. He embraced all this university could offer him as an undergraduate, and then as a coach he set about recruiting other student-athletes to have similar opportunities and experiences. That passion remains undiminished and will be a constant source of inspiration and guidance to our athletic department.”

After a standout prep career in Silver Spring, Maryland, Wilson signed with Rice in the fall of 1978 and went on to earn four letters, capped off by serving as a team captain as a senior during the Owls' 15-win season in 1982, where he was a teammate of former NBA star and Rice Athletic Hall of Fame member Ricky Pierce.

He began his coaching career at Rice in the fall of 1985, and after a one-year stint as head coach at Houston’s Strake Jesuit High School, he returned to Rice as an assistant coach for five years, the last four under Scott Thompson. As a member of the Rice staff, Wilson helped the Owls improve their Southwest Conference standing each year. During Wilson’s final year as a Rice assistant, the Owls finished fourth in the league and received a bid to the NIT. The winning record was Rice’s first in 20 years and the postseason appearance marked its first in 21 seasons.

Wilson spent the 1991-92 campaign as an assistant on Mike Montgomery’s staff at Stanford. The Cardinal finished the season with an 18-11 overall record and a 10-8 Pac-10 mark for fourth place in the league. Stanford earned an NCAA Tournament bid and lost in the first round to Alabama. Wilson coached All-American Adam Keefe, who finished his collegiate career as one of four players in NCAA history to have 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds while shooting 60 percent from the floor in a career.

After one season as an assistant at Stanford, he returned to Rice as the 22^nd head coach in school history.

He won 18 games in his first season at the helm, including season sweeps over Texas, Houston, and Texas Tech as the Owls finished second in the SWC and advanced to the second round of the NIT by posting Rice’s first postseason win since 1953 with a win at Wisconsin. In 1999 he shared WAC Coach of the Year honors after reaching 18 wins for the second time at Rice. He would lead the Owls back to the NIT again in 2004 and 2005.

The 2004 team was Wilson’s most successful, as it won 22 games, including the BP Top of the World Classic Championship. For his leadership in 2004, Wilson became the first Rice basketball coach to be selected as the National Association of Basketball Coaches District 9 Coach of the Year.

Wilson became the first coach at Rice to reach 200 wins at the end of the 2006 season and finished his time on South Main with 219 victories.

Wilson coached 17 all-conference Owls, including 2007 Conference USA Player of the Year Morris Almond. Almond, a 2007 NBA Draft first-round pick, and Michael Harris (2005) both earned All-America accolades. Wilson also had four players pick up CoSIDA Academic All-District honors, including Adam Peakes, who was a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-America selection.

“This is a great day for Rice Athletics and for our staff, student-athletes, and administration,” said current Owls basketball coach Scott Pera. “Having a legendary figure in Willis Wilson back on South Main to advise, counsel, and support our coaches is incredible news. I have known Coach Wilson for over a decade, I have always admired what he did in his long tenure as coach here and am lucky to consider him a friend. I look forward to working with him as we navigate our program and athletic department in the new league and climate of college athletics. Welcome home, Willis!”

“Coach Wilson made a huge impression upon me when I first came to Rice (in 2004),” said Rice volleyball coach Genny Volpe. “He is a true leader who has always put the student-athletes first. I’m excited to see him back at Rice and look forward to collaborating with him.”

Rice Associate Director / Academic Advising for Athletics Julie Griswold joined the department in the fall of 1986, one year before Wilson’s first year as an assistant coach for the Owls. She stated “I am so pleased to hear that Willis Wilson will be rejoining Rice’s athletic department staff as Coach Emeritus. Willis loves Rice and has experienced many different roles on campus. His experience, insights, and wisdom will be invaluable to our coaching staff, administrators, and student-athletes. We are going to love having him on campus.”

Wilson served two seasons as an assistant to Josh Pastner at the University of Memphis (2009-10, 2010-11). In two years, he saw the Tigers go 49-19 and advance to the postseason both years. During the 2010-11 season, the Tigers went 25-9, won their fifth Conference USA Championship and a berth in the 2011 NCAA Tournament. In his first season for the Tigers, Wilson helped guide the Tigers to a 24-10 overall record and a National Invitation Tournament (NIT) berth.

In 2011, Wilson was named the head basketball coach at Texas A&M Corpus Christi, taking over a program with one NCAA Tournament appearance and just 12 years of Division I history. He led the Islanders to three consecutive 20-win seasons capped by a 24-12 mark in 2017 that saw them host the championship game of the CollegeInsider.com postseason tournament after winning four games in the postseason for the first time in school history. The previous year, they finished the season 25-8, one shy of the school record for wins.

In 2014 he was named the winner of the Ben Jobe Coach of the Year Award, presented annually to the top minority coach in Division I after topping 20 wins for the first time with the Islanders (20-14).

He announced his retirement after the 2021 season, and his 143 wins with the Islanders rank as the most in school history and gave him a combined 362 in his career.