# Buzz Williams
**Buzz Williams** (born Brent Langdon Williams) is an American college basketball coach who has been the head coach of the Maryland Terrapins since April 2, 2025, and previously led Texas A&M, Virginia Tech, Marquette, and New Orleans over 19 seasons with a career record of 385-249 (.607)[1](https://umterps.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/buzz-williams/2906) • [2](https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/coaches/buzz-williams-1.html).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Current position | Head coach, Maryland men's basketball, named April 2, 2025[1](https://umterps.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/buzz-williams/2906) |
| Career record | 385-249 (.607) in 19 seasons; 182-154 (.542) in conference play[1](https://umterps.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/buzz-williams/2906) • [2](https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/coaches/buzz-williams-1.html) |
| Head coaching stops | New Orleans (2006-07, 14-17), Marquette (2008-14, 139-69), Virginia Tech (2014-19, 100-69), Texas A&M (2019-25, 120-73), Maryland (2025-26, 12-21)[2](https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/coaches/buzz-williams-1.html) |
| Postseason | 13 postseason appearances in 19 years, including 11 NCAA Tournament berths, four Sweet 16s, one Elite Eight (2013 Marquette), and one NIT championship game (2022 Texas A&M)[1](https://umterps.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/buzz-williams/2906) |
| Honors | SEC Coach of the Year twice (2019-20 and 2022-23)[3](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Beb9wOIvAiM) |
| Background | Never played college basketball; student assistant at Navarro JC and Oklahoma City University; bachelor's in kinesiology (OCU, 1994), master's (Texas A&M-Kingsville, 1999)[1](https://umterps.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/buzz-williams/2906) |
| NBA players | Coached, recruited, or developed 18 NBA players totaling over $400 million in salaries[1](https://umterps.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/buzz-williams/2906) |
## Early life and unusual path into coaching
Williams was born in Greenville, Texas, and grew up in Van Alstyne, a town of 4,369 people about 50 miles north of Dallas[1](https://umterps.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/buzz-williams/2906). He is one of the few Division I head coaches who never played college basketball. Instead he worked as a student assistant at Navarro Junior College from 1990 to 1992 and at [Oklahoma City University](https://www.edgepedia.org/oklahoma-city-university) from 1992 to 1994, where he earned a bachelor's degree in kinesiology in 1994 before completing master's work in the same field at Texas A&M-Kingsville in 1999[1](https://umterps.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/buzz-williams/2906).
The nickname "Buzz" came while he worked as an energetic student assistant for longtime Navarro College coach Lewis Orr, his early mentor; Navarro inducted him into its Bulldog Hall of Fame in 2021, honoring his climb from floor maintenance manager to head coach[1](https://umterps.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/buzz-williams/2906).
## Assistant coaching years
Before becoming a head coach, Williams served on staffs at Texas-[Arlington](https://www.edgepedia.org/arlington) (1994-98), Texas A&M-Kingsville (1998-99), Northwestern State (1999-2000), Colorado State (2000-04), and Texas A&M (2004-06), where he was assistant coach and recruiting coordinator under [Billy Gillispie](https://www.edgepedia.org/billy-gillispie)[1](https://umterps.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/buzz-williams/2906). His Texas A&M recruiting helped bring two nationally ranked classes; the 2004-05 team posted the top turnaround in the nation with a 14-game improvement, and the 2005-06 team won 22 games and earned the Aggies' first NCAA Tournament trip since 1980[1](https://umterps.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/buzz-williams/2906).
## Head coaching career
**New Orleans and Marquette.** Williams's first head job was one season at New Orleans in 2006-07, finishing 14-17[2](https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/coaches/buzz-williams-1.html). He then joined Tom Crean's staff at Marquette, and when Crean left for Indiana, Williams was promoted to head coach in 2008[4](https://accsports.com/news/after-5-seasons-buzz-williams-to-leave-virginia-tech-for-texas-am/). Over six seasons he won 139 games and made five NCAA Tournaments, including three straight Sweet 16s and the 2013 Elite Eight, and helped put players such as [Wesley Matthews](https://www.edgepedia.org/wesley-matthews) and [Jimmy Butler](https://www.edgepedia.org/jimmy-butler) into the NBA[4](https://accsports.com/news/after-5-seasons-buzz-williams-to-leave-virginia-tech-for-texas-am/) • [1](https://umterps.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/buzz-williams/2906).
**Virginia Tech.** In five seasons at [Virginia Tech](https://www.edgepedia.org/virginia-tech) (2014-19) Williams went 100-69 overall and 44-46 in ACC play, rebuilding a program that had been near the bottom of the conference[4](https://accsports.com/news/after-5-seasons-buzz-williams-to-leave-virginia-tech-for-texas-am/). After an 11-22 first season, his teams ran four consecutive 20-win seasons with 10 or more ACC wins each year, and the 2018-19 Hokies won 26 games and reached the program's second Sweet 16, reworking the offense on the fly after a midseason injury to point guard Justin Robinson[4](https://accsports.com/news/after-5-seasons-buzz-williams-to-leave-virginia-tech-for-texas-am/) • [2](https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/coaches/buzz-williams-1.html).
**Texas A&M.** Williams returned to College Station in 2019 and spent six seasons there, going 120-73[2](https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/coaches/buzz-williams-1.html). He was named SEC Coach of the Year in 2019-20 and again in 2022-23[3](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Beb9wOIvAiM). After a COVID-shortened 8-10 season in 2020-21, his 2021-22 team went 27-13 and reached the NIT championship game, and the Aggies then made three consecutive NCAA Tournaments from 2022 through 2025, the program's first such streak since the late 2000s[1](https://umterps.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/buzz-williams/2906) • [5](https://www.thebanner.com/sports/college-sports/buzz-williams-maryland-basketball-coach-hiring-style-kevin-willard-RJLSWODDTZCHNGP27FB7NQCPLQ/). The 2024-25 team went 23-11, reached the NCAA Second Round, and was ranked as high as No. 7 nationally[1](https://umterps.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/buzz-williams/2906). Texas A&M extended his contract through 2028 in June 2023[3](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Beb9wOIvAiM).
**Maryland.** Williams was named Maryland's head coach on April 2, 2025, days after Kevin Willard's departure for Villanova[1](https://umterps.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/buzz-williams/2906) • [6](https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/04/02/buzz-williams-maryland-terrapins-athletic-department/). His first Terrapins team finished 12-21[2](https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/coaches/buzz-williams-1.html).
## Style and reputation
Williams's teams are known for physical, gritty defense, a reputation analysts cited as a fit for the Big Ten when Maryland hired him[7](https://www.si.com/college/maryland/basketball/maryland-basketball-cbs-fox-espn-saying-about-hiring-buzz-williams). His Virginia Tech teams spread the floor with 3-point shooters and ranked 10th nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency in 2018-19, showing that his approach has varied by roster[4](https://accsports.com/news/after-5-seasons-buzz-williams-to-leave-virginia-tech-for-texas-am/). Commenting on the profession in 2025, he said that "the skill set that was required to be a good coach 10 years ago, very little of that applies anymore," reflecting the changes brought by the transfer portal and name, image, and likeness payments[8](https://apnews.com/article/ee4851c255543e6e92dba46d378329ac).
He has won at least 100 games at three different institutions (Marquette, Virginia Tech, and Texas A&M) and is seeking to become just the third Division I coach to do so at four, after Lefty Driesell and [Steve Alford](https://www.edgepedia.org/steve-alford)[1](https://umterps.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/buzz-williams/2906). He is one of 12 active Division I head coaches to win an NCAA Tournament game at three different programs[1](https://umterps.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/buzz-williams/2906).
## Buzz's Bunch and personal life
While at Marquette, Williams founded Buzz's Bunch, a program connecting children with special needs to basketball through an annual free game and summer clinic; it continued at Virginia Tech and Texas A&M and has grown to more than 500 members across the three cities[1](https://umterps.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/buzz-williams/2906). The Williams family endowed scholarships for students with disabilities at Virginia Tech and Texas A&M[1](https://umterps.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/buzz-williams/2906).
Williams is married to the former Corey Norman; they have two daughters, Zera and Addyson, and two sons, Calvin and Mason[1](https://umterps.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/buzz-williams/2906).
## References
1. [Buzz Williams, Head Coach, University of Maryland Athletics](https://umterps.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/buzz-williams/2906)
2. [Buzz Williams Coaching Record, Sports-Reference](https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/coaches/buzz-williams-1.html)
3. [Texas A&M Extends Buzz Williams Contract to 2028, KBTX News](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Beb9wOIvAiM)
4. [After 5 seasons, Buzz Williams to leave Virginia Tech for Texas A&M, ACCSports.com](https://accsports.com/news/after-5-seasons-buzz-williams-to-leave-virginia-tech-for-texas-am/)
5. [Buzz Williams' style may hold the Terps back, The Baltimore Banner](https://www.thebanner.com/sports/college-sports/buzz-williams-maryland-basketball-coach-hiring-style-kevin-willard-RJLSWODDTZCHNGP27FB7NQCPLQ/)
6. [Buzz Williams will win with Maryland basketball, but issues remain, The Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/04/02/buzz-williams-maryland-terrapins-athletic-department/)
7. [Maryland Basketball: What CBS, FOX, and ESPN are saying about hiring of Buzz Williams, Sports Illustrated](https://www.si.com/college/maryland/basketball/maryland-basketball-cbs-fox-espn-saying-about-hiring-buzz-williams)
8. [Why college basketball coaches say the game no longer has the same appeal, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/ee4851c255543e6e92dba46d378329ac)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Basketball and court team sports › Basketball players and coaches (biographies) › Men's college coaches*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license