Northern Michigan University

Matthew Williams enters his 11th season with the Northern Michigan University Swim & Dive program in 2024-25. As the Associate Head Coach, Williams' responsibilities include coaching the men’s and women’s sprint groups (primarily athletes who race 200-yards and less) as well as recruiting.

Williams was hired in 2015 to help build the reinstated men’s team and have them prepared for competition in fall 2015. During Williams’ tenure, the women’s squad has recorded ten top-20 finishes at the NCAA Championships, with their highest finish being 13 th in 2022. The men have placed in the top 20 at NCAAs six times, their highest finish was 12th in the nation in 2021. Williams has helped guide five sprint relays to First-team All-American finishes during this time. Most recently the men’s 400 freestyle relay finished sixth in the nation, breaking the team and the GLIAC conference record with a time of 2:54.26.

In 2024 the Wildcat men sprinters went 1-2 in the 50-yard freestyle at the GLIAC conference championship. Sophomore Leo Nolles captured the title, breaking the team record with a 19.62 swim while sophomore Will LaCount went 19.94 to finish runner-up. Junior swimmer Becca Burrows finished GLIAC runner-up in both the 50- and 100-freestyle races with PRs of 23.53 and 51.10 respectively. Wildcat women sprinters have won the GLIAC 100-yard freestyle five times under Williams’ guidance while the men have captured four GLIAC titles in the 100 free.

Before he joined the Wildcat staff, Williams was the Director of Competitive Swimming and Aquatics at the Marquette County YMCA for six years. Prior to that he was head swim coach in the Marquette Area Public Schools district from 1995-2001 and 2002-2007.

As high school coach, Williams guided the Marquette womens team to seven-straight state championships and a cumulative win-loss record of 120-10-1, going undefeated for six consecutive seasons. On the mens side, he guided Marquette to nine state championships, three undefeated seasons, and a cumulative record of 119-12.

Williams competed collegiately at Michigan Tech University where he was a two-time NCAA qualifier.