TRACK & FIELD • 1952-54

Willie Williams enjoyed incredible success during his collegiate track career, winning seven individual Big Ten sprint titles, but his greatest notoriety came in 1956 at the National Military Track Meet in Berlin, Germany. Williams made history, becoming the World’s Fastest Human after breaking his hero Jesse Owens’ world record in the 100-meter dash at 10.1 seconds, in the same stadium and in the very same lane that Owens had run as a gold medal winner at the 1936 Olympic Games. Williams won NCAA sprint titles in the 100-yard dash in 1953 and 1954, and earned three All-America honors. He was a nine-time Big Ten individual sprint and hurdle champion indoor and outdoor from 1952-54, claiming indoor titles in the 60-yard dash (1953-54) and 70-yard hurdles (1952-53), and outdoors winning three times in the 220-yard dash and twice in the 100-yard dash (1953-54). While competing at Illinois, he was also a part of six consecutive conference indoor and outdoor championship teams. Williams was also an assistant track coach at Illinois from 1982-2000, and invented several speed training devices. The Illini won six straight conference titles (indoor and outdoor) from 1987-89. The Gary, Indiana, native also coached Gary West Side High School to five Indiana state track and field titles between 1974 and 1980.