Joliet Catholic Academy’s administration is proud to announce the hiring of Kaitlyn Williams ’16 as the next head girls varsity basketball coach. Williams succeeds Jim O’Brien, who was recently named JCA’s new athletic director. Williams recently graduated from Lewis University with a degree in accounting, and will work in the JCA business office in addition to her coaching duties.

O’Brien said, “Kaitlyn will be a great addition to our girls basketball program. The energy and knowledge she will bring every day to practice and games will be tremendous. She has surrounded herself with great basketball people during her playing career, such as Sam Quigley-Smith (former Lewis and now SIU-Edwardsville head coach).”

Williams recently completed a stellar collegiate playing career split between Division-I Loyola University Chicago and Lewis University, highlighted by a junior year where she averaged 9.3 points per game and shot a team-high 36% from the three-point line.  A starter for most of her collegiate career, Williams helped lead Lewis to a 59-26 overall record over final three years, three NCAA Division-II tournament appearances, and a top-three national ranking in 2018-2019.

Known as a sharpshooter throughout her prep career, the 2016 JCA graduate averaged 15.0 points, 4.0 assists, and 4.0 rebounds per game for an Angels team that lost to top ranked Morgan Park in the sectional finals in 2016. All five of JCA’s starters ended up playing collegiately. Williams also helped the Angels to a state runner-up finish in 2013-2014 as a sophomore.

Williams said, “I couldn’t be more excited to start this new journey at my alma mater with all of these amazing young women. My passion to be involved in their process of growth and development on and off the court is what I am most grateful for. I can not wait to get started. Once and Angel, always an Angel!”

What others are saying about Williams’ hire:

“Kaitlyn has had great success in every level of basketball. She also has a great desire to help others, which is a trait every coach needs. Her knowledge and passion will be a strong asset that the players at JCA will relish.” – Nick Leonard, former JCA girls basketball head coach; Yorkville High school baseball coach

“Kaitlyn was a leader for us at JCA during one of our most successful runs in the girls basketball program’s history. She was a gritty player with a high basketball I.Q., and I’m not surprised whatsoever that she has decided to enter into the coaching world, because she’s been a coach on the court for years. I know she filled that same role at Lewis for my sister Sam (Quigley-Smith). Kaitlyn will be a great role model for the young women at JCA, and I look forward to the heights she can take this program to.” – Ryan Quigley, JCA Director of Admissions