Longtime Saint Augustine’s track and field coach George Williams is set to be immortalized in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he carved out a legacy for over four decades.
The North Carolina Board of Transportation approved a request that Interstate 440 in Raleigh be known as the Coach George Williams Interchange, according to the Raleigh News & Observer.
“He traveled that road about every day for probably 45 or 50 years,” said North Carolina State Senator Dan Blue. “So many people will be reminded of all of the tremendous contributions he has made, the leadership he has provided, as they come off of the beltline onto New Bern Avenue.”
Williams helped lead his alma mater to 39 NCAA Division II indoor and outdoor national titles, coaching 282 individual national champions, winning the Division II National Coach of the Year award 20 times, and coaching 40 future Olympians.
From 1989-1995, the Hall of Fame coach led the men’s outdoor team to seven straight national championships, making him one of only two Division II track coaches to do so.
His success went beyond the college level. He was the head coach for the U.S. Olympic Track & Field team during the 2004 Games in Athens.
He helped lead the team to an Olympic record 25 medals, including nine gold medals, sweeping the podium in the men’s 200m and 400m.
Despite transitioning from Saint Augustine’s in 2020 and fielding offers from other track & field programs, such as the University of South Carolina and the University of Cincinnati, Williams has committed to mentoring young athletes in the Raleigh community.
“There are so many young kids here that I’m still working with to help them follow their dreams in track & field,” Williams said to the North Carolina Transportation Board. “This is what I do and this is what I know.”
No details of an official unveiling ceremony have been announced by the North Carolina Board of Transportation.
