Former Major League Baseball outfielder, Reginald D. Williams, has been appointed head baseball coach at Alcorn State University, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Derek Horne announced on Friday.
“Coach Williams is a winner and has elevated programs everywhere he has coached,” Horne said. “He understands what it takes to compete for conference titles, and he’s done it as a coach and a player. We are excited that he will successfully lead us into a new chapter of Alcorn State baseball.”
Williams was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1985 and spent four seasons with the organization before signing with the Cleveland Indians in 1988. He was the Dodgers’ Rookie of the Year in 1986 and amassed a .259 batting average in 200 Major League games. He continued his playing career in the minor leagues with the Pirates in 1989 and the Rangers in 1990.
“It’s an incredible honor and blessing to be the head coach at Alcorn State,” Williams said. “My goal is to keep the program moving forward, developing young men to strive for excellence on and off the field of play while pursuing a quality college education/degree and becoming leaders in their prospective communities. At the same time, my goal is to build a championship program, that will prepare the players for competition at the next level, ultimately being a competitive program on an annual basis.”
Coach Williams comes to Alcorn after spending four years in the Cincinnati Reds organization. He most recently served as development coach for the teams’ Class A club, the Daytona Tortugas. He joined the Reds in 2017 after spending seven seasons in the Milwaukee Brewers’ system, starting off as a base running and outfield coordinator before he coached for Class A Brevard County and Rookie Helena.
The coaching veteran brings decades of experience to the Braves, both as a coach and as an administrator. Prior to his time with the Brewers, he spent over a decade as the vice president of community relations with the Class AAA Memphis Redbirds. During his stint in Memphis, he showcased his broadcasting skills, working in radio and television. From 1991-1997, he served as a principal and teacher in the Memphis City School District. Williams is still heavily involved in educating students and teaches as an adjunct professor at the University of Memphis during the offseason.
He received his master’s degree in teaching from the University of Memphis in 1994 and 3 years later earned a second master’s degree in school supervision and administration. As an undergraduate student at Southern University in 1982, he earned the Presidential Scholarship Award for the highest grade point average in the athletic department (3.45).
The Memphis, Tennessee native has a wife, Allyson, and three children – Lesly Nicole, Reginald, Jr., and Lane Allen.
Courtesy of Alcorn State Athletic Department