Matt Williamson joined the Forester coaching staff in 2025 as the team's defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.
Lake Forest was 7-3 overall and tied for second place in the Midwest Conference with a 7-2 league record in 2025. Williamson's defense led the nation in third down conversion percentage (20.5%) while ranking second with just 198.2 total yards and 41.6 rushing yards allowed per game, sixth with 8.7 tackles for loss per contest, and 13th in scoring at 14.3 points per game.
Eight players on the defensive side of the ball were named All-MWC in 2025, including two of Williamson's linebackers selected to the league's first team and another with second team honors. The starting linebackers were the Foresters' top three tacklers and combined for exactly 200 stops, including 39.0 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks, while adding an interception, three forced fumbles, and four fumble recoveries.
Williamson came to Lake Forest after four seasons as the defensive coordinator, linebackers coach, and special teams coordinator at Illinois Wesleyan University. He coached Titan defensive players to 10 All-College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin honors and one of his special teams players earned All-American accolades.
Williamson spent the previous season as the linebackers coach and special teams coordinator at Gannon University after three years as the co-defensive coordinator, defensive line coach, and special teams coordinator at Urbana University and four as the special teams coordinator and defensive line coach at Seton Hill University.
A 2011 graduate of Mount Union University, Williamson helped the Purple Raiders reach seven consecutive NCAA Division III Championship Games, the first four as a player and the last three as an assistant coach. Mount Union captured a pair of national titles during his playing career and one more with him on the staff.
Williamson played in 53 games and made 30 starts during his collegiate career. The defensive lineman earned All-American and All-Ohio Athletic Conference honors twice each and was named to the D3football.com 2000-09 All-Decade Team. He earned a bachelor's degree in sports business and minored in sociology.
