Williams was a standout at Osceola High School before going on to play for Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., and then playing for the U.S. Olympic team.
She was a four-year MVP of her high school team, leading Osceola in batting average, earned run average and fielding percentage all four seasons. She led the team to a perfect season in 2002 as it won the state title.
Overall, she earned 12 varsity letters in four sports (volleyball, track and basketball were the others). Williams then played shortstop at Northwestern, where she was the program’s first four-time All-American and was a three-time First Team All-American by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. Twice she earned Big 10 Player of the Year.
After her final season in 2009 at Northwestern, she was one of six players in NCAA Division I history with more runs scored than games played in her career (235 runs, 232 games). She holds four Northwestern records, including in home runs (57).
Williams later was a second-round draft pick of the National Professional Fastpitch senior draft by the Chicago Bandits, and then was a USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year top 10 finalist. She then played on USA Softball’s Pan-American qualifier.
