Scott Williams

Scott Williams is entering his 11th year with the program in 2025 and fourth season as associate head coach.

Williams and head coach Bernardo Silva served as assistants together on the Cal Poly women’s soccer staff during the 2015 and 2016 seasons prior to rejoining forces in January 2025 to lead the Mustangs.

“In speaking with Coach Silva throughout the interview process, I was impressed with his level of clarity and detail for the future of this program,” Williams said. “I believe wholeheartedly that under his leadership, this program is going places."

Williams first joined the women’s soccer coaching staff in 2015 as a volunteer assistant after completing his master’s degree in Kinesiology and Exercise Science from Cal Poly. Williams was promoted to assistant coach in 2017 and helped the program reach historic heights under the stewardship of legendary head coach Alex Crozier.

In 2021, Williams helped led a resurgence of the program as the Mustangs secured a share of their first Big West regular season championship in eight years, earned their most victories in a season since 2009 (13-8-0) and advanced to their first Big West tournament title match in 12 years. Following the historic campaign, Williams was promoted to associate head coach in March 2022.

In 2022, the Mustangs captured their first outright Big West regular season title since 2013 and the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament. It marked just the second time in program history the Mustangs earned at least a share of the conference regular season title in back-to-back years. With Williams’ guidance, the Mustangs built one of their most formidable defenses in program history during the 2022 season, recording 10 shutouts — the program’s most in a season since 2009 — and seven clean sheets in Big West regular season play, a program record. During a two-week stretch that season, the Mustangs posted four straight shutouts, their longest streak since 2009, and the team also ended the regular season on a seven-match unbeaten streak (5-0-2).

In 2023, the Mustangs advanced to their ninth Big West Championship match, tied for the most all-time in conference history. Cal Poly also established a new program record for players to record a point in a season (21), matched a 27-year-old program record for goal scorers in a season (15) and for the first time in program history finished with six or more wins in Big West play for the third consecutive season (6-3-1).

Since joining the staff, Williams has overseen 32 All-Big West honorees, 13 Big West All-Freshman selections and 13 All-West Region selections. Additionally, off the pitch, Williams has seen the Mustangs receive 85 Big West All-Academic Team selections during his tenure, including a program record 17 in 2024.

During his playing career with Westmont (2007-10) — which included a run to the quarterfinals of the 2008 NAIA National Championship — Williams was a four-year starter at left back and midfielder. His experience at those positions has led to immediate impacts with the Mustangs.

Cal Poly midfielder Camille Lafaix is a prime example of that as the four-year letterwinner wrapped up an historic career in 2022 by earning her second straight United Soccer Coaches All-West Region First Team selection, becoming just the third player in program history to secure multiple All-West Region First Team selections. She also won Big West Midfielder of the Year for the second consecutive year — the first player in conference history to do so — and became the first player in program history to be named to the Preseason MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List. After graduating from Cal Poly in 2023, Lafaix signed a professional contract to play for FC Girondins de Bordeaux in France.

Most recently, center back Emma Brown finished up a remarkable career in 2024 by earning her third straight All-Big West First Team selection, becoming just the fourth Mustang in program history to receive at least three All-Big West First Team selections. In 2023, Brown became the fifth Mustang in program history and first since 2009 to be named Big West Defensive Player of the Year. The three-time All-West Region selection ended her career with over 6,735 minutes on the pitch without receiving a card, playing every minute in 67 matches.

Previously, midfielder Kendra Bonsall went on to play for the U.S. at the 2017 World University Games in Taipei. Defensively, Robin Mertens earned All-Big West First Team honors in 2015 after Cal Poly limited four Top 15 opponents — Virginia, Stanford, Cal and BYU — to a combined four goals, while defender Chelsea Barry earned back-to-back All-West Region honors in 2017 and 2018, following midfielder Megan Abutin’s All-Region nod during her senior season in 2017.

A native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Williams graduated from Westmont in 2011 with his bachelor's degree in Kinesiology prior to grad school and was an assistant coach on the Mustang men's soccer staff from 2013-15. Williams is married to Cal Poly head women's tennis coach Ellie Edles Williams and the couple has a daughter named Riley.

“I love this school and what it represents, and the commitment to excellence in all aspects is inspiring to me as a coach and as an individual," Williams said. "I want to extend a thank you to coach Alex Crozier for taking a chance on a young coach several years ago. His guidance and leadership helped shaped me into the person I am today, and allowed me the opportunity to be a part of this family.”