Tag: Girls Basketball

Melvin Williams Brings Years of Experience to the Lady Hawks

Hamilton Heights Christian Academy has named Melvin Williams as the new Head Coach of the Hamilton Heights Girls Basketball Program. 

Williams brings over 20 years of coaching experience to the Lady Hawks, at all levels of High School, and College Basketball, including multiple years of coaching at the Division I level. 

Prior to arriving at HHCA, Coach Williams was assistant womens’ basketball coach at Mississippi Valley State University for 2 years. That two-year stint at MVSU followed after a three-year stint at SWAC counterpart Alabama A&M where he served as an assistant coach for the Lady Bulldogs from 2010-13. From April to May of 2013, Williams worked as the team’s interim head coach. In his time at A&M, he helped the Lady Bulldogs excel on the court and in the classroom, as the team was recognized for having the highest grade point average in the SWAC in consecutive years. The team’s biggest win came in December 2010 when the Lady Bulldogs upset the University of Minnesota.

Prior to his time at A&M, he served as an assistant women’s basketball coach at Georgia Perimeter during the 2009-10 season. There, he coached two student-athletes who would go on to be named All-Conference.

His time at Georgia Perimeter was preceded by a two-year stint as head women’s basketball coach at Tennessee Temple University. At the private Christian liberal arts school, Williams led the team to an 18-12 record and to the semifinals of the South Region in his first year at the helm. His team was ranked 12th in the National Christina College Athletic Association (NCCAA). Two student-athletes were named All-Region and one was tabbed All-American.

Prior to arriving at Tennessee Temple, Williams served as an assistant coach for the men’s basketball team at Cumberland University under Lonnie Thompson for one season from 2006-07. He also spent time as senior recruiting coordinator at Tennessee State for two seasons (2004-06) and head men’s and women’s basketball coach at Chattanooga State for six years (1998-2004). He began his head coaching tenure at Chattanooga State in 1999 after a one-year stint as an assistant with the men’s team.

Under Williams’ guidance, the CSCC men’s team reached the semifinals of the TJCAA Tournament three consecutive seasons. In 2003, the men’s team advanced to the TJCAA championship. During that span, the Tigers posted back-to-back 20-win seasons. In 2002, the Lady Tigers finished fourth in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Tournament after dominating their region and finishing with a 30-5 record. Williams produced several All-American and All-Region selections as well as NJCAA MVP honorees.

For his efforts, he was named the Region VII Coach of the Year (2001-02). He also had the honor of being voted by his peers to coach the All-Star game four straight years (2001-04).

After graduating from high school, Williams began a career with the U.S. Navy where he was a four-year letter winner for the basketball team. He was tabbed to the All-Tournament team in 1985.

He officially began his coaching career in 1992 on the high school level in Georgia under Hall of Fame coach Lawanza Crutcher.

A graduate of Middle Tennessee State University, Williams earned his bachelor’s degree in engineering technology. He is married to Gale Williams and they have one daughter, Lauren.  Lauren is an Alumni (’17) of Hamilton Heights and was a member of the Lady Hawks Basketball team during her time at HHCA. 

Coach Williams’ College Coaching Resume

2013-2015

Mississippi Valley State University

Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach

2010-13

Alabama A&M

Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach

2009-10

Georgia Perimeter College

Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach

2007-09

Tennessee Temple University

Head Women’s Basketball Coach

2006-07

Cumberland University

Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach

2004-06

Tennessee State

Senior Recruiting Coordinator

1998-2004

Chattanooga State College

Head Men’s & Women’s Basketball Coach

Former Hawk Filipe Gonçalves Named New Lady Hawks Head Coach

Filipe Gonçalves began his basketball career as a student-athlete at Hamilton Heights Christian Academy in 2011, when he left his home in Franca, Sao Paulo, Brazil to join the Hawks Boys Basketball team here in Chattanooga.

Now his story has come full circle as HHCA Head of School, Chun Shen, named Gonçalves as the new Head coach of the Hamilton Heights Lady Hawks Girls Basketball program.

“After a 2 year hiatus, Lady Hawks Basketball is back and we are extremely excited for Filipe to lead our team back to success,” said Shen. “As we searched for a new head coach to lead our restart, Filipe’s resume as a collegiate and professional player stood out, but what really sealed the deal was his history with our school and his passion to ensure our program and students succeed.”

While at Hamilton Heights, Filipe helped his team become NACA National Champions in 2012.

After graduating, Filipe went on to play at the collegiate level and graduated with a B.S. in Psychology in 2019 from Truett McConnell University. While at Truett McConnell, Filipe helped his team place 2nd in the AAC Conference in 2018 and was named All-Academic in 2018 and 2019.

Filipe then briefly played at the professional level for Liga Sorocabana de Basketball of the NBB in Sorocaba, Sao Paulo, Brazil the summer after graduating college.

Afterward, Filipe returned to Chattanooga and currently serves as a Bilingual Social Counselor at the Hamilton County Health Department. He is fluent in Portuguese, Spanish, and English.

“Hamilton Height Christian Academy is a special place for me, and I am excited to be a part of the HHCA athletics family again.,” Filipe said.

Filipe lives in Hixson with his wife, Abby, who is expecting their first child in May, and their Great Dane, Kobe.