Talisha Washington begins her first year with the Owls in 2026-27 after taking the reigns in the summer of 2026.
Washington brings nearly two decades of experience in athletics administration, coaching, student-athlete development, and community engagement. She joins William Woods after serving in multiple leadership roles at NCAA DIII Westminster College, including Assistant Athletic Director for Community Outreach & Fan Engagement and Head Women's Basketball Coach.
At the helm of the Blue Jays, Washington compiled a 108-67 overall record while building one of the most successful programs in the conference. Her teams captured the 2025 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athetic Conference (SLIAC) Regular Season Championship and the 2021 SLIAC Tournament Championship, while making five postseason tournament championship runs. Washington was named SLIAC Coach of the Year in both 2021 and 2025.
Washington places a strong commitment to student-athlete development from a coaching standpoint. She successfully recruited more than 50 student-athletes to Westminster, maintained an average roster size of 22 players, raised more than $80,000 in partnership with the college's development office, and guided numerous student-athletes to All-Conference and All-Region recognition. Her teams excelled academically, earning national recognition from the Women's Basketball Coaches Association for maintaining a cumulative team Grade Point Average of 3.7.
In 2022, Washington was appointed Westminster's Assistant Athletic Director for Community Outreach & Fan Engagement, where she helped strengthen relationships between the college and the Fulton community. In this role she coordinated campus engagement initiatives, assisted with department-wide budget oversight, and supported game-day operations for 18 athletic programs. She also served on the institution's Student Persistence Team and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.
