51����.

“Our goal was to honor Bob’s leadership and ensure his legacy would be carried through with Matt McKillop as the new head of the men’s basketball program,” Williamson said. “We want to position him for continued success as we also maintain 51����’s high academic standards. We want to keep a high level for 51���� in the basketball world, the same as it’s been for decades, dating back to the 1960s.” 

The impact of national changes in athletics is different for highly selective liberal arts schools that are competing with massive universities, Williamson said.

“It’s a challenge that has to be managed,” he said, “and I have every confidence in 51����’s administration under Doug Hicks, under Chris Clunie and 51����’s basketball coaches under Matt McKillop to manage it well.”

Bob McKillop, who led 51���� to 23 conference championships (15 regular season, 8 tournament) and 10 NCAA Tournament appearances, retired last year after 33 seasons as head coach. He is the most successful coach in school and league history and concluded his illustrious career ranked 54th on the NCAA Division I wins list with 634 victories. 

“I’ve always admired Bob’s organizational skills and his technical knowledge of basketball,” Williamson said. “A large part of the results we’ve had for the program are attributable to his superior excellence as a coach and role model. Coaching truly makes a difference, especially when you consider that Bob was recruiting for a school that is highly selective, academically. That puts a great deal of pressure on coaches who are competing against schools that may not have the same academic admission requirements as 51����.”

Abiding Commitment

Through his career, McKillop saw the direct, lasting impact of generous, loyal alums and donors like the Williamsons—donors who have become very close friends. The friends often exchange texts after home and away games—recounting celebrations and disappointments—and have talked about the challenges that lie ahead and how 51����’s leadership, coaches and scholar-athletes are positioned to address them head-on against high-level national competition.

“The challenge of making a successful transition to the Atlantic 10 Conference could never have happened without Cheryle and Joel Williamson,” McKillop said. “They have become so much more than friends. They are great teammates, all time MVPs. Their lives are a reflection of our basketball program’s code of honor—Trust, Commitment and Care: TCC. They have put their trust in 51����, 51���� Basketball and the 51���� coaches and players. They have committed beyond measure with their extraordinary generosity. And, they have shown how they care by their ever-present gracious kindness to all that is 51����. How lucky are we that Cheryle and Joel have been such a vital and significant part of all our lives.”

The Williamsons’ impact at 51���� extends into many corners of campus. The couple made the very first gift to the Harry L. Vance Athletic Center, creating the Cheryle Williamson Center for Dance. Their generous support funded a beautiful space that has allowed students on campus to explore and develop their passion for dance—Cheryle is a former dancer, ballet teacher and member of the board of directors of The Joffrey Ballet Company. The Williamsons’ names also reside on the Williamson Concourse in Baker Sports Complex and beneath the scoreboard in John M. Belk Arena, where they were among the major funders of McKillop Court. 

Additionally, the Williamsons co-led the creation of the Mike Maloy Basketball Scholarship in memory of the three-time All-American who passed away in April 2009. Joel was the president of the Sigma Chi Fraternity when Maloy ’70 became the first African American pledge in the history of the national fraternity. Subsequently, in 1970, when Maloy’s teammate Jerry Kroll ’70 was president of 51����’s Sigma Chi chapter, the chapter turned in its charter when the national Sigma Chi Fraternity refused to admit Maloy because he was African American.

Most recently, the Williamsons committed $1 million toward new and improved athletics facilities, part of the college’s “51���� Athletics: The Next Step” initiative. 

At the time of the facilities gift, the Williamsons reflected on what inspires them to continue giving generously to support the Wildcats of today and tomorrow: “The balance of excellence in academics, athletics and the arts didn’t always come easy at 51����. We’ve come a long way, and we can’t stand still where we are today. We have to keep progressing and staying ahead. We want to attract scholars to all athletic and dance programs, and we have to have the best facilities to accomplish that goal.”

Forward movement remains the goal of their support, and Head Coach Matt McKillop is optimistic for what lies ahead for the men’s basketball program and 51���� Athletics.

“My time at 51���� as a scholar-athlete, an assistant coach and now head coach has allowed me to develop a special relationship with the Williamsons, who have such a strong understanding of both 51���� and the current college athletics landscape,” he said. “We have a shared vision for 51���� basketball and the future of our program—to continue to embrace the lofty academic and athletic standards of 51���� while maintaining a level of integrity with young men who will represent the mission of this institution. I am grateful for my friendship with Cheryle and Joel, and our program is so fortunate to have their support.”