Home of Legends

The home of the championship legacies of Louisiana Tech athletics icons officially broke ground at the future site of the Sarah and A.L. Williams Champions Plaza on Saturday.

Thanks to a monetary gift from Chris Richardson, nephew of Sarah and A.L., the project idea that was first revealed in 2021 took its first step toward becoming reality.

The plaza, named in honor of former Tech athlete and football legend A.L. Williams, will sit behind the north end-zone at Joe Aillet Stadium and will feature statues of Fred Dean, Terry Bradshaw, Kim Mulkey, Karl Malone, Willie Roaf and Teresa Weatherspoon.

Along with the statues, the plaza will hold plaques to honor the Lady Techsters’ three national championship teams to go with three football championships.

“Champions Plaza will be proof that this world-renowned institution can springboard you into your greatness,” Louisiana Tech athletic director Eric Wood said in his opening remarks at the ceremony. “You can do it from right here in Ruston, Louisiana.” A.L. did it all for the Bulldogs in his playing days, finding time at running back, wide receiver and punt returner from 1953-56, winning two Gulf State Conference Championships. A.L. also lettered in track, participating in relays and long and triple jumps.

He returned to Ruston as head football coach from 1983-86 and took the Bulldogs to the Division I- AA national championship game in 1984.

“It’s terribly exciting, and it’s a great honor and humbling,” Williams said to the Leader after the ceremony. “I’m turning over inside with emotions. I don’t deserve it, but I appreciate the whole thing and thank them all for what they do and do the best we can to keep it going.”

As part of Wood’s speech, the third-year AD mentioned his hopes that the plaza will serve as an inspiration for current student athletes to strive to be champions like the six Hall of Famers honored in the plaza, and it’s why construction left room for potential additions in the future.

“The hope is that we’ve built some room for growth in there,” Wood said after the ceremony.

The official unveiling of the plaza will be Aug. 25, a day before the Bulldogs’ season opener against FIU at Joe Aillet Stadium.

A.L. Williams wants Louisiana Tech to continue to push forward and strive to be the best institution possible and reminisced fondly on stories in his playing and coaching days.

Before the even concluded, he said of the plaza, “I hope they realize how special this place is to a lot of people.”

Once Champions Plaza is completed, focus will shift to the future academic center that will be placed behind the north endzone as well, offering athletes upgraded facilities to study and work – and provide premium seating for football games.

Wood said there are hopes the project will be completed by Fall 2025.

“We’re closing in on the fundraising now and our goal is to have that ready by Fall of (2025),” Wood said. “We wanted to make sure we could honor Sarah and A.L. here now, and that gives us time. There are two facilities that touch every student athlete, regardless of sport, scholarship – it’s the academic center and the sports medicine area. So, we’re attacking this one right now so that we can impact all sports.”