Elgin’s Williams chooses Tampa

Elgin point guard Arie Williams found his perfect college fit.

The honorary captain of the Daily Herald Fox Valley all-area boys basketball team committed this week to the University of Tampa, an NCAA Division II school named one of the best institutions for undergraduate education in 2012 by the Princeton Review.

“It was the most comfortable place for me,” Williams said. “The coaching staff made me feel comfortable. I liked the location and how good the school is in what I want to major in. It all fit together right.”

A 5-foot-8 senior, Williams led the Fox Valley area in scoring at 22.2 points per game. He also contributed 121 assists, 69 steals and 97 rebounds. His 1,321 career points rank fourth in Elgin’s 114-year basketball history.

Williams took an official visit to Northern Illinois University in March and was offered a preferred walk-on spot, the same offer he received from Chicago State. However, he said he didn’t feel as comfortable with either program as he did during his March visit to Tampa’s scenic campus, located downtown near the riverfront.

“When I visited the campus, I could definitely see myself down there,” Williams said. “The coaching staff was the biggest thing I looked at, whether they could give me an opportunity to play. I also wanted to be comfortable with the players and everything felt right when I was down there.”

Williams said he plans to major in either computer science or business.