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Cooper Williams Named WBCA Thirty Under 30 Honoree
3/28/2025 12:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
ATLANTA – The Women's Basketball Coaches Association named Assistant Coach Kayla Cooper Williams of James Madison to the WBCA Thirty Under 30 presented by Morgan Stanley Global Sports and Entertainment honoree list for the 2024-25 season.
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The WBCA Thirty Under 30 program was created to recognize 30 up-and-coming women's basketball coaches aged 30 and under at all levels of the game. Each honoree has exemplified their involvement in community service, mentorship and impact on others, professional manner, and attitude and professional association involvement.
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Cooper Williams was instrumental in the Dukes' historic season as JMU went 30-6 with an unblemished 18-0 record in Sun Belt Conference play. Working with the frontcourt, she mentored two All-Sun Belt Conference selections in Kseniia Kozlova (First Team) and Ashanti Barnes (Third Team). Kozlova finished second on the team in scoring (12.5 ppg) and third in rebounding (7.4 rpg), registering nine double-doubles during the 2024-25 campaign. Meanwhile, Barnes was the only player in the league this season to average over 10 points per game (10.3) and seven rebounds per game (7.9), while dishing out 60-plus assists (62).
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The JMU defense currently ranks fourth in the nation in defensive rebounds per game (30.2), eighth in rebounds per game (42.67), 14th in field goal percentage defense (36.2) and 20th in three-point percentage defense (27.3).
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Before being named an assistant coach for the 2022-23 season, Cooper Williams served as the Director of Player Personnel & Recruiting in 2021-22, breaking down game film and leading the administrative side of recruiting from scheduling unofficial and official visits and managing a content calendar for recruiting mail-outs and graphics. Prior to that, she served as a graduate assistant for the 2020-21 season, taking on recruiting and workout responsibilities.
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Cooper Williams was a four-year starter for the Dukes, wrapping up her career as the program leader in career blocks (314) and third all-time in rebounds with 1,095. The Dumfries, Va. native was named the 2015-16 CAA Rookie of the Year, a three-time CAA All-Defensive Team selection, back-to-back CAA Defensive Player of the Year (2019, 2020) and a two-time All-CAA Second Team member.
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The WBCA Thirty Under 30 program was created to recognize 30 up-and-coming women's basketball coaches aged 30 and under at all levels of the game. Each honoree has exemplified their involvement in community service, mentorship and impact on others, professional manner, and attitude and professional association involvement.
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Cooper Williams was instrumental in the Dukes' historic season as JMU went 30-6 with an unblemished 18-0 record in Sun Belt Conference play. Working with the frontcourt, she mentored two All-Sun Belt Conference selections in Kseniia Kozlova (First Team) and Ashanti Barnes (Third Team). Kozlova finished second on the team in scoring (12.5 ppg) and third in rebounding (7.4 rpg), registering nine double-doubles during the 2024-25 campaign. Meanwhile, Barnes was the only player in the league this season to average over 10 points per game (10.3) and seven rebounds per game (7.9), while dishing out 60-plus assists (62).
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The JMU defense currently ranks fourth in the nation in defensive rebounds per game (30.2), eighth in rebounds per game (42.67), 14th in field goal percentage defense (36.2) and 20th in three-point percentage defense (27.3).
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Before being named an assistant coach for the 2022-23 season, Cooper Williams served as the Director of Player Personnel & Recruiting in 2021-22, breaking down game film and leading the administrative side of recruiting from scheduling unofficial and official visits and managing a content calendar for recruiting mail-outs and graphics. Prior to that, she served as a graduate assistant for the 2020-21 season, taking on recruiting and workout responsibilities.
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Cooper Williams was a four-year starter for the Dukes, wrapping up her career as the program leader in career blocks (314) and third all-time in rebounds with 1,095. The Dumfries, Va. native was named the 2015-16 CAA Rookie of the Year, a three-time CAA All-Defensive Team selection, back-to-back CAA Defensive Player of the Year (2019, 2020) and a two-time All-CAA Second Team member.
Players Mentioned
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