Wake Forest Athletics
Post-Grad Williams Embraces Leadership Role
10/3/2013 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Oct. 3, 2013
By Emma Lingan, WakeForestSports.com
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Practice for the 2013-14 season is underway, and with the new season come several new additions to the Wake Forest basketball family. Among the new faces on the court is Coron Williams, a post-graduate transfer from Robert Morris University.
Williams, who redshirted his true freshman campaign in 2009-10 after suffering an ankle injury three games into the season, is eligible immediately to play one season for the Demon Deacons. He is the first fifth-year transfer in Wake Forest's program history.
"It was a blessing," Williams said of the chance to continue his academic and athletic journey at Wake Forest. "I spoke with Coach Bzdelik and Coach Childress. They really liked what I did over at RMU, so they gave me the opportunity, and I took it."
The Midlothian, Va. native, who announced his decision to transfer to Wake Forest on May 1, said he wanted to earn his master's degree closer to home.
"I'm a grad student, so I wanted to go to a school that had a pretty good graduate program," Williams said. "Wake, like I said, was a blessing...this was where I really wanted to go."
Williams is a prolific long range shooter who went 210-of-497 for 42.3 percent from beyond the arc at RMU. He helped the Colonials to a combined 50 wins over the past two seasons, including a berth in the 2013 Postseason NIT, where RMU upset defending national champion Kentucky.
"Coron brings tremendous maturity and experience to a young basketball team, in addition to the fact that he can really shoot the basketball," Bzdelik said. "He's one of the best three-point shooters in the country, and he's proven that throughout his career. From top to bottom, off and on the court, he brings a lot of great experience to this team."
As a student-athlete, Williams is determined to strike a balance between his commitments to basketball and academics.
"It's a lot of work trying to juggle all the school work and basketball at the same time," Williams said. "It's a tough transition, but I'm getting comfortable."
The transition has been made easier for Williams by his teammates, who have made him feel welcome ever since he arrived on campus over the summer.
"The people were great at RMU," Williams said. "But I'm only going to be here one year, and the people here have welcomed me in like family."
Despite being the oldest player on the team, Williams does not see the age gap as a barrier to his ability to form relationships with his teammates.
"I think I'm fitting in well," Williams said. "We have two pretty good point guards in Codi [Miller-McIntyre] and Madison [Jones] so I'm fitting in with them. They're looking to find me because I'm a shooter. I also have a relationship with Devin [Thomas] and Arnaud (William Adala Moto). They're great screeners--they're big, tough, solid guys, so they're finding ways to get me open."
Bzdelik believes that Williams' age and experience will be of great benefit to the rest of the team, who can learn much from his contributions.
"He's got great experience," Bzdelik said. "He can pass on that knowledge through his action to a lot of young players...The way he acts, the way he carries himself, the way he gets along with his teammates--that in itself commands respect."
Despite having only one remaining year of athletic eligibility, Williams is determined to make the most of his time with the Demon Deacons, and he is committed to the team's success."
"They brought me in to be a leader and to shoot the ball obviously, and I think they have high expectations of me, and I do as well," Williams said. "So I think making progress as a team, getting better every day...that's a goal of mine, just to help lead the team to become a better team every single day."
