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Former Vanderbilt athletic director David Williams has passed away

David Williams, the de facto athletic director who oversaw the most prosperous era of Vanderbilt University sports, has passed away. The trailblazing figure had been at Vandy since 2000, becoming the SEC’s first African-American athletic director — even if his official title started off as Vice Chancellor for University Affairs and Athletics — in the process.

David Williams II, trailblazing former vice chancellor and athletics director at Vanderbilt University, died Feb. 8 https://t.co/uoxo1mzGvt

— Vanderbilt University (@VanderbiltU) February 8, 2019

The timing is bittersweet. Williams announced his intentions to step down from his post and return to teaching back in September.