University Southern California Trojans
John Williams Elected To USA Water Polo Hall Of Fame
June 18, 2002 | Men's Water Polo
June 18, 2002
LOS ANGELES - Former USC men's water polo head coach John Williams has been elected into the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame.
He will be honored on June 30 at the Armed Forces Reserve Center in Los Alamitos, along with nine other members of the Class of 2000 and eight members from the Class of 2001.
During his 26-year career (1973-98) as Trojan head coach, Williams registered a 449-253-7 (.638) record and retired on top by winning the 1998 men's NCAA championship. In the last 21 years of his tenure, his teams finished in the top seven nationally each season, including No. 2 final rankings in 1983, 1987, 1993, 1994, 1996 and 1997. Under Williams' guidance, the Trojans reached the NCAA Tournament 13 times in his last 18 years and were national runners-up twice (1983 and 1987).
Among the coaching honors he received during his tenure were 1999 USOC National Coach of the Year, 1998 United States Water Polo National Coach of the Year (along with co-head coach Jovan Vavic), 1996 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Coach of the Year (with Vavic) and Pac-10 Coach of the Year in 1983 and 1987.
He also served as a member of the United States coaching staff in 1986 at the inaugural Goodwill Games in Moscow and at the World Championships in Madrid.
Williams began his career at USC as a two-time All-American water polo player (1967-68) and three-year letterman (1966-68). He graduated with a bachelor's degree in business in 1969.
In 1970, Williams became an assistant coach for the men's team and served in that position for three years before becoming the head coach in 1973. After he retired as head coach in 1998, he has remained with the program in an emeritus position. He also owns a certified public accounting firm, Williams & Ribb.
