Staff Directory
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- Phone:
- 864-503-5175
Ayana McWilliams enters her fifth year as an assistant coach for the women's basketball team at USC Upstate.
McWilliams is no stranger to the coaching style of George, though she will rejoin her in a much different capacity than when she played for her for two seasons at Brevard. McWilliams was the co-Player of the Year in the Appalachian Athletic Conference in 2005, helping George and the Tornados to a second-straight appearance in the NAIA National Tournament.
McWilliams came to Upstate after serving as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator under Alico Dunk at Elizabeth City State for two seasons. She helped lead the Lady Vikings to a 20-9 overall record and a 13-5 mark in the CIAA (NCAA Division II) last year and a 19-10 overall record and an 11-9 mark in the CIAA in 2009-10.
Prior to her stint at Elizabeth City State, McWilliams was assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Livingstone College from 2007-09. She got her coaching start as an assistant coach at Winston-Salem State from 2006-07.
McWilliams graduated from Brevard with a bachelor's degree in Exercise Science in 2005. She also received a master's degrees in Sports Management/Sports Coaching from the United States Sports Academy.
A native of Pensacola, Fla., McWilliams signed to play at East Carolina out of high school. She spent two seasons with the Pirates from 2001-03 before transferring to Brevard and finishing her playing career with George and the Tornados. She led Brevard to a 43-21 record in two seasons from 2003-05, including a 21-1 conference mark in 2004-05 en route to earning co-Player of the Year honors from the AAC alongside teammate Kris May Richardson. She was also the league's Defensive Player of the Year.
McWilliams was a prolific player for Brevard. Despite playing just two seasons in the program, she holds two career records at the school with 296 assists and 288 steals. Her 16.5 points per game scoring average ranks second all-time. She is the fourth-leading scorer in school history with 1,039. She also holds the school record with an 81.3 free throw percentage and is third with 459 rebounds.
McWilliams also owns two single-season school records, having dished out 163 assists and coming up with 155 steals in 2004-05. Her 133 assists and steals in 2003-04 stand as the second-best single-season efforts in school history.
McWilliams was a two-time All-Conference selection in the AAC and earned national acclaim as the NAIA National Player of the Week on Jan. 11, 2005. She was a standout player at Booker T. Washington High School in Pensacola where she helped lead the team to three district championships, three state final four appearances and one state championship. She was an All-State and All-District honoree.
