Damian Williams

Head Coach
Office Phone: (503) 370-6656
E-mail: williamr@willamette.edu

Damian Williams is in his tenth year as the head softball coach at Willamette University. He has earned an overall record of 144-138 (.511) at Willamette and has led the Bearcats to a 103-81 (.569) record in the Northwest Conference. In 2006, Williams guided the Bearcats to a 20-17 overall record, including 16-11 (4th place) in the NWC. Key victories for the ‘Cats were two wins over Whitworth, one win each against Linfield and Pacific Lutheran, and a non-conference triumph over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. Willamette hit .310 as a team with 54 doubles.

Williams was chosen NWC Coach of the Year in 2000, after leading Willamette to a 25-10 overall record and a second place tie in the NWC at 15-6. The 2000 team led the nation with an impressive 0.76 team earned run average and was ranked #5 in the West Region. In 2005, Williams helped the Bearcats achieve a 21-11 overall record, while finishing the year with a 19-7 mark in the NWC (2nd place). The success of the 2000 and 2005 teams indicates how much the team improved after Williams arrived. In 1998, the season before Williams took over, the Bearcats were 5-33 overall. Just two years later, the 2000 team was the most-improved squad in NCAA Division III, gaining 16 games over 1999 and up 21 games from 1998.

Prior to joining the Willamette coaching staff for the 1999 season, Williams served as the head coach at Shoreline Community College in Seattle for four years. His efforts gradually improved the team, which went 25-12 during the 1998 season, on its way to qualifying for the NWAACC Tournament.

Williams graduated from Seattle Pacific University in 1995. He received a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and Sports Administration. Williams lives in Salem, with his wife, Genesis.

Assistant Coaches:
Lance Gilgan (2nd year)

Lance Gilgan comes to Willamette from the Sherwood School District, where has coached three sports over the last fourteen years. He was the head softball coach at Sherwood the past nine season. Gilgan led the Lady Bowmen to five straight league championships and to the State Playoffs eight times. Gilgan serves as a co-head coach of the Oregon Panther 18 Gold ASA Team. His team has qualified for nationals in seven of the past eight years. With the Willamette University softball team, Gilgan will primarily coach infielders. He also will contribute to the development of Willamette's offensive skills.

Gilgan is married and has four children. Two attend Willamette. Liz is a senior on the WU softball team and Lukkes currently is a sophomore on the football team. Gilgan lives with his family in Sherwood, Oregon.

Laura Dix (2nd year)

Dix is in her 2nd season as an assistant coach at Willamette. She works primarily with the Bearcat pitchers. As a player, Dix spent two seasons pitching at Albertson College of Idaho, followed by two years on the pitching staff at Willamette. As a pitcher for the Bearcats, Dix was 12-10 with 94 strikeouts in 120 innings of work. She ranks second on WU's all-time list for strikeouts per seven innings (5.48). Dix graduated from Willamette in the fall of 2006 with a bachelor's degree in Exercise Science. She is currently taking classes to get into optometry school. She previously attended nearby Blanchett High School, where she graduated from in 2002. She has coached a 14-and-under team in the ASA. She also has coached private pitching lessons.

Dix is married to fellow WU assistant softball coach Tony Dix. The couple lives in Salem. Laura Dix is the daughter of Stan and Patti Milne.

Tony Dix (2nd year)

Tony Dix is in his second year serving as an assistant coach for the Bearcats. While attending Willamette as a student, Dix was a linebacker on the WU football team for four seasons. He played in seven games and recorded eight tackles in 2001. He saw action in eight games and had six tackles in 2002. He graduated from WU in 2005 with a bachelor's degree in Sociology. In 2003, he served in Iraq as a member of the Army National Guard. He is now in a two-year term of inactive reserve.

Dix is married to another member of the the WU softball coaching staff, the former Laura Milne, who played for the Bearcats in 2005 and 2006. They live in Salem. Dix is the son of Roger and Jennie Dix.