At Missouri State: Nia Williams will look to continue to improve as a key cog in the Bears defense this season. 2009: Williams started every match on defense for the Bears. She recorded her only point of the season with an assist on Kelsey Finders’ goal in the Bears 2-0 win at SIU Edwardsville (10/25). She tallied three shots, two of which were on net. Williams was named to the MVC All-Freshmen squad and received All-MVC honorable mention honors. Background: Williams was named Shawnee Dispatch Female Athlete of the Year for 2009 after she started on the backline all four years for St. James Academy in Lenexa, Kan. She was honored as the conference defensive player of the year in 2008 and led St. James Academy to the state championship her final two seasons. A three-time all-state and two-time all-metro selection, Williams also earned all-conference and all-state academic honors in 2009 and all-county honors in 2008. Williams was an all-conference honoree as a sophomore and earned her first of three consecutive team MVP awards as a freshman in 2006. She was also a four-year starter on the Thunder volleyball team that went a combined 155-12 in her career. Personal: Williams is the daugher of Huw Williams and Nina Murray and was born September 19, 1990. She is undecided on a major at Missouri State. Her father played professionally for the Blackburn Rovers in the U.K.