Wright State University Athletics

Rick Williamson was named head coach of the Wright State cross country and track programs in June 2016.

Williamson, who was the interim head coach for the track team in 2015-16, served as an assistant coach for the cross country team for five years and the track program for four seasons.  During his time as an assistant, the Raiders showed continued improvement, including third-place Horizon League finishes by the women's cross country team in 2015-16 and by the men's cross country and women's outdoor track teams in 2013-14.  That year saw Dan Shafer earn the Wright State Male Athlete of the Year, as he finished second at the league meet and won the 10,000-meter run at the league outdoor track meet.

In 2012, the Raiders set 10 new track records, highlighted by Cassandra Lloyd receiving her second All-American honor by appearing in the NCAA National Meet in Des Moines, Iowa.

Overall, 26 school records in track have been set since Williamson's arrival in the fall of 2011 (16 indoor, 10 outdoor) along with a new 5K record for men's cross country.

Williamson came to WSU after serving one year as head men's and women's cross country and assistant track coach at Notre Dame College of Ohio.  While there, Williamson guided the distance runners to six new school records and five NAIA track qualifiers. 

Prior to Notre Dame, he spent four years as the assistant coach at Northwood (MI) University, where he helped establish 18 new school records and led the women's cross country team to its highest finish in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference meet and at the NCAA Division II regionals.  He also mentored two-time track and field All-American Kylen Cieslak. 

Williamson started his college coaching career at his alma mater, Akron, from 2003-06, where he coached long-distance runners in track and assisted with the cross country team. Williamson coached distance runners set 11 Akron records and his men's cross country charges earned program-best finishes in the Mid-American Conference in two consecutive seasons. 

Williamson competed for the Zips until he graduated in 1999 with a bachelor's degree in Education (health education).  He continued his education at Akron, obtaining two more degrees in 2001 and 2007. He set a school mark in the outdoor 5,000-meter run in 1997 and was named to the All-Mid-American Conference Team in 1996 and 1997.