March 16, 2005

Boca Raton - Dale Williams joined Florida Atlantic University's football staff and will serve as the team's offensive line coach, announced Howard Schnellenberger, Wednesday.

"We are excited to have him be a part of our program. He is young but his coaching background is with some very good schools," said Schnellenberger. "He will join the program this spring and will have a young group of linemen to work with but a group that has experience and talent."

Williams came to Florida Atlantic after a five-year stint at the University of Finlay, a program that finished 2002 with a 9-2 record and a No. 25 national ranking among Division II schools. He served the last three years as the offensive coordinator and offensive line recruiting coordinator.

"Coming to Florida Atlantic and the opportunity to coach with Howard Schnellenberger, especially at the Division I-A level, is one that is hard to pass up. Throw in the weather, the area's talent and the University's potential and it was just too hard to pass up," said Williams.

Prior to Findlay, Williams was the offensive line coach as well as the running game and recruiting coordinator, at Gardner-Webb University. Williams was responsible for an offensive line that gained over 2,000 yards on the ground while mentoring Ben Fuller to first-team All-SAC honors two consecutive seasons.

His 1996-97 season was spent working with Steve Patton at North Carolina-Greenville. That season the Mounties offense was rated No. 4 nationally averaging 31.0 points per game and 410 yards in total offense.

His coaching career began at West Virginia, his alma mater, where he was a graduate assistant from 1994-96. He earned both his undergraduate degree (Liberal Arts '94) and master's degree (Physical Education '96) from WVU.

Athletically, Williams was a three-year letterman and a two-year starter for the Mountaineers and was named the 1993 Best Lineman. He played in the 1990 Gator Bowl and the 1994 Sugar Bowl.

Following his collegiate career, the Cleveland, OH, native, played one season of professional football for the Arena Football Leagues Cleveland Thunderbolts. His stint with the Thunderbolts was an opportunity to return home where he had a standout career at perennial national power St. Ignatius (OH).

Williams and his wife Wendi have two children Nicole (7) and Dominick (3).

Personal Information:
Birth date: December 4, 1970
Hometown: Cleveland, OH
Education: 1996 ---MS, Physical Education, West Virginia University
1994 ---BS, Liberal Arts, West Virginia
Marital Status: Wife Wendi
Children: Nicole (7) and Dominick (3)