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Mark Williams Position: Head Coach Experience: Ninth Year

When searching for continued dominance in recent years across the sport of NCAA men's gymnastics, look no further than Norman, Okla. At the University of Oklahoma, four-time National Coach of the Year Mark Williams has led the Sooners to four NCAA titles and three runner-up finishes in the last seven seasons. Not since 1979-1982 has a team produced a finish of second place or higher in six consecutive seasons.

Williams was named head coach of the program in 2000 and has positioned the program as a legitimate national contender every year with an overall mark of 169-13 in seven seasons. In the last seven years, OU has recorded impressive numbers, including 60 All-America honors, in addition to producing the nation's top gymnast in 2003, Daniel Furney (Nissen Award). In the next four years and beyond, Williams will look to guide his teams to even better results.

"What we have accomplished as a program in seven years is unprecedented," said Williams. "I knew when I was hired that this was my dream job and each year I look forward to building upon Oklahoma's tradition of gymnastics excellence."

In 2006, the Sooners won their second-consecutive NCAA title and fourth in the last five years. Williams led OU to a perfect 31-0 record, racking up a school-record 14 All-America honors, an NCAA high for the second straight year.

The 2006 squad also produced the eighth individual national champion under Williams as Jonathan Horton captured the all-around title, as well as the still rings and floor exercise.

Following the season, an unprecedented six members of that NCAA Championship team qualified for the Visa U.S. Championships. Following the meet, Williams was named head coach of the U.S. Team for the 2006 World Championships in Denmark where Horton will join him as a member of the American squad.

The 2005 Sooners won their third NCAA title in the past four years. Williams guided OU to to a record of 21-2 and the Sooners produced a then-school-record 13 All-America honors, a NCAA high among the 2005 teams competing at the championship meet.

The 2005 squad also produced the fifth individual national champion under Williams when David Henderson took the title on the still rings. Henderson, his younger brother Jamie and Jonathan Horton also gave Williams his 16th, 17th and 18th individual conference champions.

Williams and the 2005 Oklahoma team were recognized for their accomplishments at the local, state and national level. Williams threw out the first pitch for the OU-Nebraska baseball game just days after the team was recognized at the Oklahoma State Capitol, where a House of Representatives resolution was passed to honor the team.

Just three months later, the Oklahoma team traveled to Washington D.C. and was honored in the nation's capital. After being recognized at a reception held by Oklahoma's senators, the Sooners received a private tour of the Capitol from Oklahoma senator Tom Cole.

The following day the Oklahoma team was honored on the White House South Lawn at NCAA Champion's Day. The event included a photo opportunity for the team, remarks from the president and concluded with Daniel Furney presenting an autographed OU flag to the President.

Under Williams, OU has enjoyed four NCAA titles (three runner-up), 80 All-America honors,11 individual national champions and 26 conference champions ineight seasons.

The 2004 Sooners were 1.5 points shy of becoming the first team in over 20 years to win three consecutive NCAA titles.

Williams guided OU to its second straight undefeated season (14-0) and finished 24-4 after its second place finish at nationals. The Sooners produced eight All-America honors, a NCAA high among the 2004 teams competing at the championship meet.

Also in 2004, Williams reached the 100-win plateau faster than any other coach in NCAA history after defeating then-No. 1 Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio. He currently owns the highest winning percentage of any active NCAA coach at .929. Since Williams joined the Sooners in 1988 as an assistant coach, OU has finished among the nation's top five squads on 18 occasions.

Williams' success doesn't stop at the NCAA level. He has earned the respect of the gymnastics nation by coaching at every level of the sport, from beginners to Olympians.

Outside of coaching on the collegiate level, in 2004 Williams was also on the international scene. Williams helped guide current OU assistant coach Guard Young to the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. Young has been coached by Williams since he was 11 years old and at the age of 27, Young achieved his goal of competing for the U.S. at the Olympics with Williams at his side. Not only did Guard compete in the games, but his performance helped the team earn silver, the first team medal for the U.S. since 1984.

"Mark is not only a good coach but a good friend," said Young. "He was able to take a young boy who could not even do the splits and made him into an Olympic silver medalist. One of Mark's strengths as a coach is his ability to unite a team. His dedication to the team is something I respect and aspire towards."

Whether as a gymnast, assistant coach or head coach, Williams has been a part of eight NCAA Championship teams. Before coming to Norman, Williams won two NCAA team titles at Nebraska (1979-1980) and helped the Cornhuskers to another in 1981 as a graduate assistant coach. Ten years later, Williams was on the coaching staff that produced OU's third National Championship in 1991. Williams made history in 2002 and 2003 when he became the first coach in NCAA history to win two national titles in his first four years as a head coach. He has also produced six conference titles, in addition to being named Coach of the Year by the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation six times and NCAA National Coach of the Year four times. In 2002, Williams made OU just the ninth program in NCAA history to win back-to-back NCAA titles after finishing 26-0 and winning the NCAA Championship in Philadelphia, Pa. The 2005 and 2006 Sooners repeated the feat, going 31-0 in 2006 and capturing consecutive titles for the second time in Williams' tenure.

Although Williams has returned gymnastics at OU to the top of the sport, another one of his primary goals as head coach was to revitalize OU's presence on the international gymnastics scene. With Young's showing at the 2004 Olympic Games and numerous other gymnasts competing on the world scene, Williams has achieved just that.

In his 26 years as a professional gymnastics coach, Williams has guided gymnasts to the Olympic, World Championship, Pan American Games and University Games teams. He has also coached numerous senior and junior U.S. national team members including: Casey Bryan (1994 World Team member); Darren Elg (1987 U.S. Junior champion); Dan Fink (1998 NCAA champion on rings); John Goodwin, Matt Hervey, Jarrod Hanks (1991 World Team members); Jeremy Killen (1997 NCAA champion on floor exercise); Josh Landis (NCAA Champion on floor exercise and pommel horse); Jeff Lutz (1991 University Games Team member); Heath Mueller, Curtis O'Rorke, and Jock Stevens (2001 U.S. National Championships participants); Jamie Henderson and Mueller (2004 U.S. National Championships participants) Mike Racanelli, Guard Young (2001, 2002 and 2003 World Championships Team member); and Jonathan Horton (2005 Pan Am and 2006 World Championship team member).

"As a college coach, NCAA competition will always be my first priority," Williams said, "but I also want to encourage those guys who come into the program with aspirations to make the U.S. national team. As a coach, I am committed to making USA Gymnastics training and competition opportunities available to every athlete on my team who wants to compete on a national and international level."

Williams' vast experience has been recognized at the highest levels of the sport, one of the most notable was when he was asked to serve as the assistant coach for Team USA at the 1996 Olympic Games. In July of 1999, Williams was head coach of the USA's Pan American Games Team which claimed the silver medal. In 1994 he led the West team to victory at the U.S. Olympic Festival and in 1999 Williams' junior team claimed the Pan American club championship title. He coached at both the 1994 and 1995 World Championships, as well as the 1987 Junior International, 1991-92 DTB Cups, 1991 World University Games and 2000 International Team Cup. He served as a personal coach on the U.S. team which competed at the 2001 and 2002 World Championships and the Chinichi Cup.

In addition to his coaching prowess, Williams is a nationally and internationally certified judge. He has also served as the vice president for the U.S. Men's Elite Coaches Association, as a member of the Men's Program Committee for USA Gymnastics (USAG) and on the USAG Board of Directors. Williams was also a member of the 2000 Olympic Selection Committee.

Williams' career as an athlete was equally impressive. A high school standout from La Grange Park, Ill., he went on to compete at Nebraska (1977-1980). He received All-America honors on the high bar (1978) in addition to the two national championship titles he earned with his team (1979, 1980).

"My stint as a collegiate athlete was one of the best times in my life," Williams said. "The excitement of being part of a great team is indescribable. There are very few opportunities for gymnasts to feel that unity outside a university setting. I've coached hundreds of athletes in my career and not one has ever come to me with any regrets about choosing college gymnastics. I've been a coach at all levels and all have their benefits, but to me, the combination of athletics and education, plus the support and camaraderie of a team, make NCAA gymnastics something special."

Williams graduated from Nebraska with a bachelor's degree in secondary education/English and completed his master's degree in journalism at OU with a 4.0.

Williams was married to the former Susan Southhall in May of 1998. The couple welcomed their first child, son Cooper, in 2007.