The Paladin has tabbed graduate kicker Ian Williams as Athlete of the Month for November 2025.
The Charlotte, N.C. native graduated from Furman in the spring of 2025 with a degree in communications. He will exit the football program at the conclusion of this season following an impressive four years kicking at Furman.
His accomplishments at Furman include three Southern Conference Player of the Week awards and making the 2025 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll. Williams was named second team All-Southern Conference in 2023, made the first team in 2024 and is likely to be awarded with this distinction once again at the conclusion of the 2025 season.
Williams spent the first two seasons of his college career at North Carolina State University but felt compelled to transfer to Furman.
“Furman offered me a spot in high school, and I’ve always had a special place in my heart for the university and its coaches,” Williams said. “When I came back, it was exactly how I remembered it — just a perfect fit. Furman is a really special place to me, and I love everything about it here.”
Since his transfer, Williams has been recognized as the gold standard for three-way kickers in the Southern Conference, having demonstrated skill in placekicking, kickoffs and punts.
“My favorite memory [at Furman] so far was breaking the school record against Stetson in 2024. There’s nothing like hearing the ball come off your foot and feeling that perfect strike,” he said.
His 57-yard record field goal was just one moment in Williams’ impressive career campaign, over which he has scored 238 total points for the Paladins, coming from 55 field goals and 73 PATs.
On top of this milestone accomplishment, he has excelled in two less glamorous yet vital aspects of the game: kickoffs and punts.
“Kickoffs are thrilling because the adrenaline before the game is high, and it’s the first chance I get to impact the game,” he said. “Punting is fun because I love flipping the field, and most people don’t realize how important a good punt can be.”
In 2024, Williams led the Southern Conference in touchback percentage at 87.8%, decimating the next-highest mark at 48.2%. On top of that, he averaged 40.6 yards per punt, consistently placing the Paladin defense in advantageous positions, a service which has played a key role in the team’s success over the past four seasons.
“I thrive in those pressure situations and love knowing that I’m the one the team can count on to make the play when it matters most,” he said.
Williams has no intention of hanging up his cleats anytime soon.
“After the season, I plan on declaring for the NFL Draft. I’ve dreamed about this since I was a kid, and knowing that I’ve worked hard enough to even be in a position to possibly chase that dream is awesome,” Williams said. “I’m excited to see what’s next for me.”
