Courtesy of GVSU Athletic Communications
GLIAC — Grand Valley State senior quarterback Bart Williams has been selected as the 2018 Jack H. McAvoy Award winner by the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) football coaches. The award is presented annually to the GLIAC football player who best combines outstanding character and leadership on the field, in the classroom, and in the community. Williams is the third Laker football player to earn the honor, joining Alton Voss (2016) and Jeff Fox (1998).
Williams guided GVSU to a 10-1 regular season mark in 2018 and a berth in the NCAA DII Football playoffs for the third time in his career. Bart completed 165-of-306 passes for 2,556 yards and 21 TDs en route to earning All-GLIAC honors for the third time in his career. He led the GLIAC in passing yards (2,556) and yards per game (232.4), while ranking second in passing TDs. Bart was named the GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week three times during his senior season, including back-to-back games vs. Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan. Williams completed 23-of-37 passes for 382 yards and five TDs as GVSU claimed a 45-20 win over the Huskies. Just one week earlier in the Lakers’ 47-14 victory at Northern Michigan, Williams completed 17-of-28 passes for 280 yards and four touchdowns, while toting the ball three times for 16 yards and his first career rushing TD, a six yard scamper. Williams closed his career in GLIAC play with the weekly honor after completing 20-of-26 passes for 250 yards and three TDs vs. Wayne State in the regular season finale.
Williams rewrote the Grand Valley State passing record book for a game, season and career. His 487 passing yards vs. Ferris State broke the previous single-game record of 434 yards held by Curt Anes (2001/Michigan Tech) and was the fifth-best, single-game total in GLIAC history. He became GVSU’s all-time leader in career passing yards (12,410) and passing TDs (126), while moving into third in all-time GLIAC passing yards (8,814) and second in passing TDs (90). His career passing touchdowns mark of 126 is third all-time in DII history, while his 12,410 passing yards is 13th all-time. Williams, who is 41-9 as a starting QB for the Lakers, was a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy. His 4,206 passing yards in 2015 tops the Lakers’ single-season charts, while his 45 passing yards that same season is the third-best single-season total.
Williams, who currently holds a post-graduate GPA of 4.0 in marketing, is active in community service projects such as Timberwolf Lake Young Life Camp, Allendale Public Schools Anti-Bullying Campaign and the Grand Valley State Relay for Life.
