Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Men's Basketball
Williamson, Drew
Drew Williamson
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
Drew Williamson was named an assistant coach for the Florida Atlantic University men’s basketball team in July 2021.
Williamson was a member of a Florida Atlantic coaching staff that led the Owls to what is undoubtedly the greatest season in program history in 2022-23. FAU qualified for the NCAA Tournament for only the second time in school history and advanced all the way to the Final Four. The Owls had the most wins in all of NCAA Division I basketball in 35, with a record of 35-4. FAU was only three wins shy of the single-season Division I record. Florida Atlantic won both the Conference USA Tournament and Regular Season Championship, which both marked program-firsts.
The Owls accomplished a number of feats during the 2022-23 season, including a 20-game winning streak, which at its time was the longest in its nation and currently stands as the third longest streak in C-USA history. The Owls' 18 conference wins are the most in C-USA history, and FAU also went an undefeated 17-0 at home, also for the first time in school history.
Williamson and staff guided Johnell Davis to C-USA Sixth Player of the Year honors, First Team All-C-USA and First Team NABC All-District recognition. Alijah Martin was also selected All-C-USA First Team and Second Team NABC All-District.
During his first year in Paradise, the Owls achieved a 19-15 overall record with 11 Conference USA wins. Throughout a stretch of the season, the Owls were on a 10-game home winning streak, being just one of 23 teams in the nation with 10+ straight wins at home. The Owls earned its fourth ever postseason tournament berth with a trip to the Roman College Basketball Invitational. Alijah Martin earned All-Conference USA Third Team honors and Michael Forrest was named to the NABC All-District Team, the first for the Owls in nine seasons.
Williamson comes to FAU from Virginia State where he was an assistant coach for eight years. At VSU, Williamson had been promoted to associate head coach. In his eight seasons on staff, Williamson helped lead the Trojans to six consecutive CIAA Northern Division tiles, two conference tournament championships and four NCAA Division II Tournament appearances. Throughout Williamson’s time on staff, the program averaged 21 wins per season.
During the 2018-19 season, the Trojans racked up 28 wins, which broke a school record that was previously set the year before. The team finished the season as the regular season and conference champions with winning streaks of 16 and 10 games.
Aside from on-the-court responsibilities, he was also involved in scheduling, working as a liaison to the academic team and compliance department.
Williamson has been recognized on a national scale, being named by the Minority Coaches Association as one of the top NCAA Division II assistant coaches in the country in October 2020. He was also one of 12 finalists for the “Next Up” Head Coaches Training Initiative.
Prior to VSU, Williamson served as the director of basketball operations for two seasons at his alma matter, Old Dominion University. Williamson carried out the administrative operations of the basketball program, while working closely with the head basketball coach and assistant athletic director on scheduling events.
Williamson put together an impressive college basketball career at ODU from 2003-07. To this day, he holds the school record for consecutive career games played with 130 straight appearances in a Monarch jersey. Williamson is ranked third all-time in steals with 215 and seventh in career assists with 555, which is also the eighth most in the CAA. At Old Dominion, Williamson was a part of one of the winningest eras in program history. In a three-year span (2005-07), the Monarchs won 81 games, earned two NCAA Tournament appearances and appeared in the NIT Final Four.
Following his collegiate basketball career, Williamson played three years of professional basketball in Germany and won the League Championship in the final year of his playing career before transitioning into coaching.
A product of Burlington, North Carolina, Williamson and his wife Lauren have two children, Jaden and Avery.
Williamson was a member of a Florida Atlantic coaching staff that led the Owls to what is undoubtedly the greatest season in program history in 2022-23. FAU qualified for the NCAA Tournament for only the second time in school history and advanced all the way to the Final Four. The Owls had the most wins in all of NCAA Division I basketball in 35, with a record of 35-4. FAU was only three wins shy of the single-season Division I record. Florida Atlantic won both the Conference USA Tournament and Regular Season Championship, which both marked program-firsts.
The Owls accomplished a number of feats during the 2022-23 season, including a 20-game winning streak, which at its time was the longest in its nation and currently stands as the third longest streak in C-USA history. The Owls' 18 conference wins are the most in C-USA history, and FAU also went an undefeated 17-0 at home, also for the first time in school history.
Williamson and staff guided Johnell Davis to C-USA Sixth Player of the Year honors, First Team All-C-USA and First Team NABC All-District recognition. Alijah Martin was also selected All-C-USA First Team and Second Team NABC All-District.
During his first year in Paradise, the Owls achieved a 19-15 overall record with 11 Conference USA wins. Throughout a stretch of the season, the Owls were on a 10-game home winning streak, being just one of 23 teams in the nation with 10+ straight wins at home. The Owls earned its fourth ever postseason tournament berth with a trip to the Roman College Basketball Invitational. Alijah Martin earned All-Conference USA Third Team honors and Michael Forrest was named to the NABC All-District Team, the first for the Owls in nine seasons.
Williamson comes to FAU from Virginia State where he was an assistant coach for eight years. At VSU, Williamson had been promoted to associate head coach. In his eight seasons on staff, Williamson helped lead the Trojans to six consecutive CIAA Northern Division tiles, two conference tournament championships and four NCAA Division II Tournament appearances. Throughout Williamson’s time on staff, the program averaged 21 wins per season.
During the 2018-19 season, the Trojans racked up 28 wins, which broke a school record that was previously set the year before. The team finished the season as the regular season and conference champions with winning streaks of 16 and 10 games.
Aside from on-the-court responsibilities, he was also involved in scheduling, working as a liaison to the academic team and compliance department.
Williamson has been recognized on a national scale, being named by the Minority Coaches Association as one of the top NCAA Division II assistant coaches in the country in October 2020. He was also one of 12 finalists for the “Next Up” Head Coaches Training Initiative.
Prior to VSU, Williamson served as the director of basketball operations for two seasons at his alma matter, Old Dominion University. Williamson carried out the administrative operations of the basketball program, while working closely with the head basketball coach and assistant athletic director on scheduling events.
Williamson put together an impressive college basketball career at ODU from 2003-07. To this day, he holds the school record for consecutive career games played with 130 straight appearances in a Monarch jersey. Williamson is ranked third all-time in steals with 215 and seventh in career assists with 555, which is also the eighth most in the CAA. At Old Dominion, Williamson was a part of one of the winningest eras in program history. In a three-year span (2005-07), the Monarchs won 81 games, earned two NCAA Tournament appearances and appeared in the NIT Final Four.
Following his collegiate basketball career, Williamson played three years of professional basketball in Germany and won the League Championship in the final year of his playing career before transitioning into coaching.
A product of Burlington, North Carolina, Williamson and his wife Lauren have two children, Jaden and Avery.
Inside the Owls Burrow 2025-26 #4
Thursday, September 04
Inside the Owls Burrow 2025-26 #3
Friday, August 29
Inside the Owls Burrow 2025-26 #2
Friday, August 22
Inside the Owls Burrow 2025-26 #1
Thursday, August 14
