Shawn Williams

Shawn Williams (born June 20, 1974) is the inaugural General Manager and Head Coach of the Las Vegas Desert Dogs in the National Lacrosse League (NLL). He is a former Canadian lacrosse player who played for the Ontario Raiders, Toronto Rock, Buffalo Bandits, Rochester Knighthawks and Edmonton Rush of the NLL and the Hamilton Nationals of Major League Lacrosse. He was also previously a scout for the Buffalo Bandits and assistant coach with the Colorado Mammoth. He was inducted to the NLL Hall of Fame in 2021 as a first ballot nominee.

NLL career Williams started his NLL career in 1998 with the Ontario Raiders. The Raiders moved to Toronto the next year, becoming the Toronto Rock. Following the 1999 season, Williams was traded to the Buffalo Bandits for a draft pick, and played two seasons in Buffalo. On May 18, 2001, Williams was traded again, this time to the Rochester Knighthawks as part of a seven player blockbuster deal.

Williams played his best season in 2004. When Knighthawk star John Grant, Jr. went down with a season-ending knee injury, Williams picked up the slack, finishing 8th in the league in points with 81, 3rd in goals with 45, and was named to the first All-Pro team. He was named Overall Player of the Week three times — all in the last four weeks of the season — and Offensive Player of the Week five times.

Williams has played in six NLL All-Star games, in 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009 scoring the overtime winning goal in the 2008 game.

After ten seasons in Rochester, Williams was traded in October 2011 along with Aaron Bold to the Edmonton Rush for Ryan Cousins, Alex Kedoh Hill, and Andy Secore.

Williams was traded from Edmonton to Minnesota for two second-round picks in the 2013 NLL Entry Draft. Minnesota then sent him to Buffalo with Brendon Doran, a 2012 first-round pick, and two 2012 second-round picks for the third overall pick in 2012.

MSL / WLA Career Williams has been a member of the Brooklin Redmen of the MSL since 1996, other than 2003, when he played one year in the WLA for the Coquitlam Adanacs. He was a member of the Mann Cup-winning Redmen in 2000. He has won the Bucko McDonald Memorial Trophy as the top scorer in the MSL three times, in 1999, 2001 (co-winner with Josh Sanderson), and again in 2004. Williams also holds the MSL record for most points in a game — 21, set on July 26, 1999, against the Ohsweken Wolves.

Field lacrosse

Williams is also an accomplished field lacrosse player, and has been a member of Team Canada at the last two World Lacrosse Championships. He also served as the coach for Brock University. On June 9, 2009, Williams was inducted into the Brock Badgers Hall of Fame.

Statistics

NLL Reference:

NLL head coaching statistics

Canadian Lacrosse Association Regular Season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1990 Scarborough OLA Jr B 14 6 10 16 8 -- -- -- -- -- 1991 Scarborough OLA Jr B 18 70 25 95 55 11 22 15 37 47 1992 Scarborough OLA Jr B 18 79 44 123 40 12 28 24 52 18 1992 Brampton OLA Jr A 1 2 0 2 0 -- -- -- -- -- 1993 Scarborough OLA Jr A 19 47 45 92 18 -- -- -- -- -- 1994 Scarborough OLA Jr A 22 62 67 129 66 -- -- -- -- -- 1994 Owen Sound MSL 6 7 10 17 9 -- -- -- -- -- 1995 Brampton OLA Jr A 20 45 33 78 14 3 4 9 13 10 1996 Brooklin MSL 19 34 15 49 13 5 4 8 12 6 1997 Brooklin MSL 20 25 30 55 10 4 4 7 11 2 1998 Brooklin MSL 18 33 37 70 13 5 5 11 16 0 1999 Brooklin MSL 16 41 49 90 6 10 15 15 30 10 2000 Brooklin MSL 18 45 51 96 17 15 29 18 47 12 2001 Brooklin MSL 18 57 36 93 2 10 27 28 55 10 2002 Brooklin MSL 10 27 28 55 4 10 17 19 36 4 2003 Coquitlam WLA 14 24 32 56 6 10 11 23 34 17 2004 Brooklin MSL 18 46 78 124 11 4 10 17 27 4 2005 Brooklin MSL 16 33 51 84 10 -- -- -- -- --Junior A Totals--------------------Junior B Totals--------------------Senior A Totals--------------------