Jessica (Yanz) Williams has served as Wisconsin’s Director of Volleyball Operations since January 2018, returning to the role she also held from 2013–15 as part of Head Coach Kelly Sheffield’s initial staff.
Since her return, Wisconsin has experienced one of the most successful stretches in program history. The Badgers have won four Big Ten championships (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022), advanced to four NCAA Final Fours (2019, 2020, 2021, 2023), finished as the NCAA runner-up in 2019, and captured the 2021 NCAA National Championship — the first in program history.
Williams previously served as Sheffield’s director of operations for two seasons at the University of Dayton (2011 and 2012) before moving into the same role at Wisconsin in 2013.
Williams played for Sheffield at Dayton, where she built a decorated career as the Flyers’ setter. She earned AVCA Honorable Mention All-America honors in 2010, was named Atlantic 10 Setter of the Year, and received the A-10 Championship’s Most Outstanding Player award. That season, she guided Dayton to an undefeated conference record, an A-10 tournament title, and a trip to the NCAA second round. She helped the Flyers set a program record for hitting percentage while leading the league in hitting percentage, kills, and assists.
Williams began her collegiate career at Penn State, reaching the NCAA Elite Eight in 2006 and winning the NCAA Championship in 2007 while helping the Nittany Lions to back-to-back Big Ten titles. She then transferred to Nebraska, where she contributed to the Huskers’ run to the 2008 national semifinals and 2009 Elite Eight, while also winning the 2008 Big 12 championship. She closed her career at Dayton in 2010, leading the Flyers to the NCAA second round and winning the Atlantic 10 championship. In total, she was part of five NCAA Tournament teams and four conference championship squads across three programs.
She graduated with a degree in business administration from Nebraska in 2010 and completed her master’s degree in education with a concentration in interdisciplinary studies at Dayton in 2012.
A native of Bolingbrook, Illinois, Williams was the 2006 Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year at Naperville Central High School. She was also a Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 selection and twice earned Best Setter honors at the National Junior Classic, helping Sports Performance Volleyball Club win the 2006 national title.
