Southern Arkansas University Athletics

A talented attacker and fearsome middle blocker/outside hitter for the Mulerider Volleyball program in the mid-1990s, Belinda (Williams) Lewis remains an important figure of Southern Arkansas Volleyball in a bygone age that preceded today’s rally scoring era.

A native of Garland, Texas, Williams competed under SAU Hall of Fame head coach Michelle Shoppach (C/O 2014) in 1994 and 1995. During her time in Magnolia, SAU won 90 matches and Williams helped the Riderettes claim the 1994 AIC Championship behind a 32-11 record overall.

In that championship season, Williams recorded the second-most kills on the team with 344 at 2.5 kills per set and was the team leader in blocks with a then single-season program record 174 (24/150). In SAU’s match against Jackson State, Williams set a then-program record for attack percentage in a single match at .700 which remains a top ten mark today. Additionally, Williams also tied the single match record for blocks with 11 in a 1994 contest vs. Concordia Lutheran. At the end of the season, Williams was named an All-AIC performer and was also tabbed as an NAIA All-Southwest Region selection.

The following year, Southern Arkansas’ first as a member of NCAA Division II and the Gulf South Conference, Williams was just as impressive as she led the team in both kills (402) and blocks (144/17-127) to help the Riderettes to a second-place finish in the GSC West Division. In SAU’s match with Ouachita Baptist, she tied the school’s pre-rally scoring era record for attack attempts in a single match with 71.

For her efforts, Williams was tabbed an All-GSC selection joining teammate Raishaunda Tamplin as the first SAU student-athletes to claim all-conference recognition in SAU’s NCAA Era. Additionally, Williams was named an All-Southwest Region honoree by both the NAIA and American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) and became just the second Riderette Volleyball player to receive national acclaim as she was named an NAIA All-American.

In 270 career sets, Williams tallied 746 kills and 318 blocks and is the lone player in program history to earn All-AIC and All-GSC honors in her career.