Sports
Blair Alum Hired at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Wilson began his collegiate coaching career as an assistant at his alma mater in 1985.
Willis Wilson, a 1978 Blair High School graduate, has been named the new head coach at Texas A&M – Corpus Christi.
“It is a great honor, and one I will treat with a great deal of respect and responsibility,” said Wilson. “I am really looking forward to working with the players and staff to create a new beginning for our program,” he added.
The Silver Spring native joins Texas A&M – Corpus Christi after serving a two-year stint as an assistant coach at the University of Memphis. Prior to his appointment at Memphis, Wilson spent 16 years as the head coach at Rice University where he compiled a 219-246 record during his tenure.
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Wilson, who graduated from Rice in 1982, is the winningest coach in Rice basketball history and led the Owls to three postseason berths during his tenure at the Houston school.
Rice made NIT appearances in 1993, 2004 and 2005 under Wilson’s guidance. The former Blair basketball star and Rice assistant also had a brief coaching stint at Stanford from 1991-1992.
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Wilson began his collegiate coaching career as an assistant at his alma mater in 1985 before serving a one-year stint in high school as the head coach at Strake Jesuit Prep in Houston. He returned to Rice and served four years as an assistant before being named head coach in 1992.
“He is recognized nationally as an outstanding basketball coach,” said Texas A&M – Corpus Christi Director of Athletics Tim Fitzpatrick, “and as a peerless mentor and role model for the young men who are fortunate enough to play for him.”
Wilson becomes just the third head coach in Islanders team history and joins a Texas A&M – Corpus Christi program that finished the 2010-2011 campaign with a 10-21 overall record including a 5-11 mark in the Southland Conference.
“I am thrilled to have a man of Coach Wilson’s caliber take over our men’s basketball program,” said University President Dr. Flavius Killebrew. “He brings a presence and professionalism both on and off the court that our fans and our community will be proud of. He will be an excellent ambassador for Texas A&M – Corpus Christi,” Killebrew added.
