Head Coach Greg Williams led Auburn to its first Equestrian National Championship in 2006. Entering his fifth season at the Tiger helm, Williams faces a multitude of new challenges that this team has never had to face. After this past season's unprecedented National Championship, the bar is now set at an all-time high. However, with this season's new talent combined with last year's experience, the possibilities are limitless. Williams' has changed the face of women's athletics and has put the equestrian team on the map. Since his return to his alma mater, Williams has continued to add wealth to this program and is building it to new heights. Since the 1996 debut of the equestrian program, Williams has orchestrated the building of the Equine Center and helped to change the club program to Auburn's 21st varsity sport. He led the Tigers to the 2004 Southern Equestrian Championship as it finished second in the nation. Williams is in his 11th season as head coach of the Auburn equestrian team, the fifth year as a varsity sport. Last season, Williams led the Tigers to their first Varsity Equestrian National Championship, the third National Championship Auburn University received in one month. He coached Whitney Kimble and Ashley Griffith to the National Reigning Horse Association Derby, where they both competed for an individual national title. In 2004, Williams' Tigers upset the No. 1 western team in the nation, Oklahoma State, in the first meet of the season. The Tigers finished third at the Southern Equestrian Championship and were sixth overall at the Varsity Equestrian National Championship. Williams coached Whitney Kimble to the NRHA Derby, where she competed for a national title. That marked the first time that an Auburn rider received an invitation for the event. In the 2003-04 season, Williams' Tigers upset the competition to become the 2004 Southern Equestrian Champions, the first championship in Auburn equestrian history. That same year, Williams led the Tigers to an incredible runner-up finish at the Varsity Equestrian National Championships. He guided Auburn to the IHSA National Finals in both Hunt Seat and Western in the program's inaugural 2002-03 varsity season. The Tigers were one of only five teams to have a hunt Seat and a Western team to reach nationals. Born in Paragould, Ark., Williams graduated from Auburn University with a bachelor's degree in Animal Sciences in 1986. His career in the horse industry began at a young age as he showed horses, competed in rodeos and roping contests. His mother competed and passed on her passion for horses. Williams' beginning years as a professional were spent in the South and the Southwest training pleasure horses and cutting, haltering and roping horses. These horses were shown at Futurities, Congress and World shows. He began his work at Auburn 15 years ago running the Horse Teaching and Researching Unit. He also continued his professional showing career during his first years back. He is continuing his education at Auburn and is currently working towards a master's degree in adult education. Williams' vision goes further than his education. He is currently working on a plan for a new center for the equestrian team. The facility will include new covered arenas, stables and barns and will be a reality in a few short years. He is also incorporating veterinary sports medicine into the equestrian program. Williams and Dr. Robert L. Gillette, have started a research initiative for the advancement of equine sports medicine. They are heading up a research team that will study different issues in equine sports medicine. Areas of interest are biomechanics, exercise physiology, nutrition, athletic performance and general heard health. The goal of the research will be to study areas of equine sports medicine that have not been studied before and disseminate that information to the equine community for the betterment of the equine athletes. Williams and his wife, Sandi, have two daughters, Toni, 23, who was a member of the Auburn equestrian team, and Erica, 18.
Head Coach Greg Williams (Auburn, 1996-present) |
 
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