Jenny Williams

Coach in Attendance

Jenny Williams, the first former UNLV women's soccer player to return to lead the program, was named the seventh Rebel head coach on Dec. 3, 2019.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Williams didn't make her Rebel coaching debut until spring of 2021 when UNLV played a shortened 10-game conference-only slate. The scheduled returned to its regular format in the fall of 2021 and Williams enters the 2022 fall campaign leading the team through its first normal offseason since she took the helm.

Despite the altered schedule, the Rebels played well in their first season under Ruiz-Williams, finishing in a tie for fourth at 5-4-1 after being picked to finish ninth in the preseason. She guided the UNLV squad to a 5-2-1 record over the first eight games and kept the Rebels in contention for the conference title game until the final weekend of the regular season.

In Williams' second season in the fall of 2021, UNLV went 12-8 overall and tied for sixth in the Mountain West at 5-6, just missing the conference tournament due to head-to-head tiebreakers. The Rebels finished their season winning four of their last six, which included wins over New Mexico and Fresno State, who were both in first place at the time of the meeting.

Under Williams, UNLV has four Mountain West All-Conference selections and 38 Academic All-Mountain West recipients. Along with the individual success, Williams' Rebels have achieved unprecedented success in the classroom with new program records for team GPA in the spring 2022 semester, fall 2021 semester and spring 2021 semester. Additionally, they posted a program record for fall semester team GPA during the fall 2022 term.

She returned to her alma mater after serving as an assistant coach at Cal State Northridge, then at Oregon State in 2019 before being hired to take over the Rebel program.

In the fall of 2019, Williams was instrumental in the Beavers' success as they recorded their best mark in eight years (11-6-2). As part of a first-year coaching staff, she assisted in a remarkable turnaround as the team had its best start to a season in program history, going 8-0-0 after the 2018 squad finished with an overall record of 2-17-0.

Williams coached an OSU defensive unit that allowed just 19 goals over the course of the season, including only three during non-conference play. Under her leadership, the team combined for four consecutive shutouts for the first time since 2007. OSU had two Top 100 Freshman recognitions along with players selected to the National Team of the Week as well as National Player of the Week honors. Additionally, the team received the 2019 United Soccer Coaches' Academic Award with a 3.42 grade point average.

Williams also served as a coach for the Real SoCal Soccer Club, a director and coach for the Nashville Football Club and worked as a selection and district training coach for the Tennessee Olympic Development Program and Player Development Program.

During her four-year playing career with the Rebels (2001-04), Williams helped the team become one of the top defenses in the Mountain West and earned All-MW recognition twice. She was a part of the UNLV team that won a regular-season conference title and clinch its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 2004. She was also named to the All-MW Tournament squad as a senior. Prior to attending UNLV, she was a U-16 national champion and U-17 national runner-up.

The seventh head coach in UNLV women's soccer history, Williams competed for the Mexican National Team at the highest level, earning medals at three Pan American Games, qualifying for the Olympics and playing at the FIFA World Cup. Her professional career extended beyond her national playing time, completing stints with both the Bay Area Breeze (Women's Premier Soccer League) and Seattle Reign FC (National Women's Soccer League) before returning to the college game to begin her coaching career.

"Coming back to Peter Johann Memorial Field with the Rebels is truly a dream come true for me," Williams said. "My husband and I are so grateful for the experiences we enjoyed as Rebel student-athletes and for the positive impact the university had on us. It is now my privilege to be able to serve the school, its amazing student-athletes and the incredible Las Vegas Valley community that I love so much."

Williams earned her communications degree at UNLV in 2005 and also holds a master's degree in education from Loyola Marymount (2007). She is also a licensed United States Soccer Federation National A- Senior Coach and a Regional Coach with the Olympic Development Program.

She is the sixth UNLV graduate in any sport to go on to become a head coach at the school and she is married to former UNLV swimming & diving student-athlete Kevin Williams. The couple has two children, Paige and Levi.