STEPHENVILLE, Texas —Tarleton State Men's Basketball assistant coach Jake Williams was selected to be one of 50 rising coaches to attend Monday;s 2026 TopConnect Basketball Symposium presented by Just Play Sports Solutions in Las Vegas, Nev. as announced by TopConnect on Monday.
The invitation-only event will bring together 50 rising leaders in collegiate basketball for a unique professional development and networking experience. Through educational sessions, leadership presentations, and TopConnect's signature speed dating, participants will engage directly with athletic directors, conference commissioners, search firm executives, and industry leaders from across the country.
Since the inception of TopConnect in 2018, more than 100 assistant coaches and senior level administrators participants have been promoted to the next chair of Head Coach and Athletic Director as well as a Conference Commissioner.
Participants are identified through recommendations from athletic directors, head coaches, search firms, and other leaders throughout intercollegiate athletics. A year ago, current Texan head coach Eric Haut was selected to attend the 2025 edition as an assistant coach at Utah State. Williams was also invited to the 2025 event while he was at Milwaukee.
"I couldn't be more excited for Jake to receive this incredible honor," said head coach Eric Haut. "Being selected for the TopConnect Symposium is a testament to the impact he has made as a coach and leader. Jake is one of the brightest coaches in the profession, and his passion, work ethic, and commitment to excellence sets him apart. Doc Sander and TopConnect bring together some of the best and most influential people in our industry, and it's a fantastic opportunity for Jake to learn, grow, and continue developing as a coach. This recognition is well deserved, and we're proud to see him represent Tarleton State University and our basketball program at such a prestigious event."
Williams is entering his first season on the bench for the Texans ahead of the 2025-26 season. Williams has spent time at six different programs prior to heading to Stephenville. He has served as a video coordinator, director of operations, assistant coach, associate head coach and head coach during his 14 seasons of collegiate coaching. During his time, he has spent seven years on the bench at Division I programs with them owning a 152-81 overall record with six of his seven seasons being 20-win campaigns. In his first year, he reached the NCAA Tournament with Middle Tennessee. He also served as a head coach at the junior college level for five seasons holding a 112-38 record with a .746 winning percentage.
Williams most recently served as an associate head coach at Milwaukee for two seasons where he also spent the prior two years as an assistant coach. Williams and Haut coached against each other in the Horizon League for two years while Haut was at Northern Kentucky. Their relationship first started during Williams' two seasons at Northwest Florida State from 2015-17. Williams was noted as an up-and-coming coach after earning a spot on Silver Waves Media seventh annual compilation of the "100 Most Impactful Mid-Major Assistant Coaches and GMs" for 2026.
Now in its ninth year, the TopConnect Basketball Symposium has become one of the most respected leadership development opportunities in college athletics. Since its inception, TopConnect has connected hundreds of coaches and athletics administrators, helping facilitate professional advancement opportunities while strengthening the leadership pipeline throughout intercollegiate athletics.
"TopConnect continues to serve as one of the premier opportunities in college athletics for coaches and administrators to connect, prepare, and lead professionally," said TopConnect Director Dr. Richard Sander. "This year's coaching cohort represents some of the brightest leaders in our game, and we are excited to provide an environment that fosters relationship-building, mentorship, and career development."
The 2026 symposium will feature programming focused on leadership development, the hiring process, navigating the first 90 days in a new role, fundraising strategies, and insights from executive search firm leaders. Participants will gain practical knowledge while expanding their professional networks through meaningful interactions with decision-makers from across the collegiate athletics landscape.
TopConnect is a professional development and networking organization dedicated to connecting aspiring and established leaders throughout intercollegiate athletics. Through its annual symposiums, TopConnect creates opportunities for coaches and administrators to build meaningful relationships, expand professional networks, and prepare for leadership opportunities within college athletics.
2026 TopConnect Basketball Symposium Coach Participants
Men's Basketball
Manny Adako, Lehigh
Brandon Bailey, DePaul
Steve Becker, Cal State Dominguez Hills
Pat Blake, Georgia
Jon Borovich, Michigan State
Matt Bucklin, Vanderbilt
Kyle Church, Michigan
Matt Cline, Missouri
Kevin Devitt, UIC
Justin Downer, Point Loma
Brandon Dunson, BYU
Josh Eilert, Wichita State
Andy Farrell, Vanderbilt
Michael Fly, Florida State
Peter Funk, Evansville
Anthony Goins, NC State
Ricardo Greer, Pittsburgh
Desmond Haymon, Tulsa
Ricky Johns, St. John's
Coby Karl
Aaron Katsuma, Minnesota
Branden McDonald, Bucknell
Jonathan Mitchell, Appalachian State
Pat Monaghan, Nebraska
Amorrow Morgan, Tennessee
Jay Morris, SMU
Brendan Mullins, Belmont
Dwaine Osborne, Youngstown State
Mike Quinn, Boston University
Terrence Rencher, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Brandon Rosenthal, UC Santa Barbara
Nate Schmidt, Iowa State
Ryan Schneider, Vermont
Will Voigt, BYU
Pat Wallace, Iona
Anthony Wilkins, UNLV
Jake Williams, Tarleton State
Drew Williamson, Michigan
Trey Zeigler, Creighton
Women's Basketball
Steven Asher, Butler
Kait Cresencia, Lehigh
Erik DeRoo, Texas Tech
Eric Gracia, ETSU
Kaity Healy, St. John's
John McCray, UIC
Chantel Osahor, Gonzaga
Eryc Pittman, South Alabama
Alison Seberger, Kent State
Jeremy Thompson, Fairleigh Dickinson
