OU Removes Interim Label From Head Coach Mark Williams' Title

April 13, 2000

NORMAN, Okla. - University of Oklahoma Men's Gymnastics Interim Head Coach Mark Williams has been promoted to head coach, announced OU Athletic Director Joe Castiglione today. Williams just completed his first season at the helm of the Sooner program and guided his squad to a conference championship and a fourth-place national finish.

"To say that Mark Williams clearly demonstrated his passion to become head coach at Oklahoma, as well as his readiness to lead a program, would be an understatement," said Castiglione. "Knowing the challenges he faced because of timing in getting his staff in place, identifying and signing some highly sought after recruits, and preparing the team to make a run at the conference and national titles, he had a remarkable year. With the quality student-athletes we now have and will attract at OU, he will position our program to become a national championship contender each year."

"Serving as the interim head coach was an exciting challenge for me after being an assistant at OU under Greg Buwick for 12 years," said Williams, the 2000 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Coach of the Year. "I learned a lot as the season progressed, but the gymnastics wasn't a problem. From the very first day I took over, our goal was to qualify for the NCAA team finals and compete for a national championship. Fortunately, I had student-athletes who were behind me every day in practice and they performed as well as I could have expected.

"I had an exciting year and the guys did a great job of making me look good," continued Williams. "I'm excited that this job has become permanent. I think this is my dream job. I've always wanted to be a head coach at a major university and to be involved with a program that can compete each year for a spot at the national championships is extremely rewarding. This is what I've worked for."

The Sooners won the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation championship March 17 and had three gymnasts record individual event titles the following night. OU finished second at the NCAA Qualifier and went on to finish in fourth place at the team finals. David Johnston, Josh Landis, Brendan O'Neil and Steve Van Etten each earned All-America honors.

Williams, a La Grange Park, Ill., native who resides in Norman with his wife Susan, said he will retain Doug Macey as his assistant coach. Macey joined the OU program prior to last season after a successful athletic and coaching career at UCLA.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

OU Removes Interim Label From Head Coach Mark Williams' Title

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