Mark Williams joined the Blues in February, 2018. Since arriving at U of T, Williams has guided the Varsity Blues rowing program to two top-3 team finishes and 19 individual event medals at the OUA Championships, as well as a top-5 team finish at the Canadian University Rowing Championships. In that time, nine current or former Varsity Blues have gone on to compete at the World Rowing Championships, Under-23 World Rowing Championships, Pan American Games, FISU Games, and the Asian Games representing Team Canada, USA, Egypt, and Lebanon.
Prior to arriving in Toronto, Williams served as head coach and director of rowing for the Ohio State University Crew Club (OSUCC). There, Williams oversaw program development, recruitment, and fundraising, while also leading the team to top results.
Under his guidance, the program garnered three Top-10 individual event finishes at the ACRA national championships, along with two Top-6 team finishes and multiple medals at the MACRA regional championships. During Williams’ tenure with the Buckeyes, a member of the men’s team was invited to the 2017 USRowing under-23 national team selection camp, one of only three men’s athletes invited that year from a non-varsity status club program, and the first invite in 11 years for an Ohio State men’s rower.
Williams has also coached internationally and domestically outside of the academic year. Prior to the pandemic, he was named lead men’s coach for Canada’s 2020 FISU team and in summer 2018 he coached the women’s double and lightweight women’s double for Canada at the World University Rowing Championships in Shanghai, China. In summer 2016, Williams coached the lightweight men’s program at Vesper Boat Club of Philadelphia to multiple club national championship titles and a Royal Canadian Henley title.
A native of Ann Arbor, Michigan, Williams began rowing in 2001 for Pioneer High School and competed for Denison University from 2002-06 before joining the Varsity Blues rowing team as a graduate student (2006-07) and finally the Western Mustangs rowing team (2011-13). As a coach, he served as the Western Mustangs junior varsity women's coach (2013-14), assistant coach (2013) and novice men's assistant coach (2009-10). He holds a PhD in kinesiology and a Master's of Arts, kinesiology with coaching specialization from Western University, as well as a bachelor of education from U of T and a bachelor of arts from Denison.
