Pitt State track athlete Caden Williams finds his stride

By Nathan Watson

In its history, Pittsburg State University Men’s Track and Field team has won nine national championships. Junior Caden Williams has played a key role in five of them.

In March, Willams placed third in the men’s 400-meter, helping the Gorillas place first at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships. This victory marked the program’s fourth consecutive indoor national championship.  

Williams, originally from Houston, has spent the past three years in Pittsburg earning a degree in history education. In addition to his academic pursuits, he has been active in the community as a resident assistant and serves as a team captain for the track team. 

Highly recruited as a freshman, Williams chose Pitt State over several other schools. He said he was attracted by winning culture and tight-knit community. 

“This place felt like home,”  he said.

Initially, Williams was expected to compete in the high jump and was later considered for the decathlon due to his athleticism. However, after a strong performance in the 400-meter dash, he transitioned into a full-time sprinter. 

 “I didn’t choose the 400; it chose me,” Williams said. 

The 400-meter dash proved to be the perfect fit. In his first season at Pitt State, Williams earned first-team indoor All-American honors in the 400-meter dash, placing seventh in the nation, and he anchored the 4×400-meter relay team to a first-place finish. During the outdoor season, he became the MIAA conference champion in the 400-meter dash, earned second-team All-American honors and finished as the national runner-up in the 4×400-meter relay. 

As a freshman, Williams already ranked among the top five in the program’s record books and was regarded as one of the team’s most valuable members. His early success led to his selection as team captain heading into his sophomore year. 

However, Williams’s sophomore season did not meet expectations.  

“I had a bit of a sophomore slump,” he said. 

He began the season strongly, earning second-team All-American honors in the open 400-meter dash and winning national championships in both the distance medley relay and the 4×400-meter relay, setting national records in each event. But a hamstring injury in the outdoor season pulled him down, resulting in some of his slowest races. 

For the first time in his collegiate career, Williams did not earn All-American honors in the 400-meter dash. He did not run injury-free until the final race of the season.  

In that race, he recorded the fastest split in the 4×400-meter relay and helped lead the Gorillas to another national championship. 

“I was just so happy I was able to run a good leg and not let my teammates down,” Williams said. “I dealt with adversity all year long. It was tough, but at the end of the day, it made me better.” 

Entering his junior year, Williams faced uncertainty about whether he could return to his freshman form. However, his teammates never doubted him. 

“He’s just a hardworking guy and somebody we all look up to,” said Braylon Thompson, a junior sprinter and close friend. “He got injured and didn’t run his best, but we were never worried as a team.” 

Williams was once again elected team captain and helped lead the Gorillas to another indoor national championship. His confidence returned as he broke the school record in the indoor 400-meter dash, placed third in the nation, earned first-team All-American honors and finished as the national runner-up in the 4×400-meter relay. 

Now heading into the outdoor season, Williams said he is more confident than ever. 

 “It’s outdoor season, and our goal is to do it all again,” Williams said.