Jenkins joined the UAlbany men's basketball program as an assistant coach in July of 2025
In his first season alongside Coach Killings in 2025–26, UAlbany finished 11–21 overall and 7–9 in America East play while navigating a demanding schedule and a tightly contested conference race. UAlbany showed resilience throughout the year, earning key conference wins and positioning itself in the postseason picture before falling to UMass Lowell in the America East Quarterfinals. The season featured four televised games, including two appearances on ESPNU highlighted by a nationally broadcast victory over Vermont, as well as two games on SNY, including a win over Stony Brook. The Great Danes earned postseason recognition, as Okechukwu Okeke was named America East Defensive Player of the Year and Amir Lindsey was selected to the All-America East First Team following a breakout campaign. Despite the early tournament exit, UAlbany demonstrated steady growth with strong home performances and continued competitiveness within the league. Overall, the season reflected a group that battled through adversity while gaining valuable experience and building momentum within a deep America East field.
Jenkins comes to UAlbany from Lehigh University, having previously spent the past four seasons on the staff at Lehigh University as an assistant coach in 2021-2022, before being promoted to associate head coach before the 2022-2023 season.
While on staff at Lehigh, Jenkins helped the Mountain Hawks earn their best Patriot League Tournament run, over the past four years, which came in 2023-24, when as the No.6 seed, Lehigh upset No. 3 seed Lafayette and No. 2 Seed Boston University, before falling to No. 1 seed Colgate in the championship game.
On the court, Jenkins helped with coaching rebounds and assisted with all areas of the game, while coaching forwards and centers for three years. He also worked with guards every season at Lehigh, along with overseeing substituting players during games to achieve the best possible player matchups.
For Patriot League honors, Jenkins has coached two First-Team, three Second-Team, four Third-Team, and three All-Rookie Patriot League selections.
Off the court with the Riverhawks, Jenkins was tasked with recruiting high-skill and high-character players from the Delaware, Maryland, Virginia (DMV) region, along with the Southeast region. Overseeing the team’s academic performance, in 2024, the program achieved the top team GPA and focused on the team's attendance in community service.
"I'm fired up to join the UAlbany coaching staff and this incredible community,” said Coach Jenkins. “I'm looking forward to growing, giving back, and helping our young men chase their greatness, because they are more than just athletes, they're leaders and world changers. Let's win the day the Great Dane way."
A Former Tennessee Tech and Ohio Valley Conference standout from 2002-2005 with the Golden Eagles, Jenkins was named OVC Player of the Year in his senior season of 2004-05 along with being named an honorable mention All-American, scoring 546 points for a 19.5 scoring average (along with 7.2 rebounds per game). He was inducted into Tennessee Tech’s Hall of Fame in 2015.
Before Tennessee Tech, Jenkins spent two seasons alongside Killings at UMass, where the duo came into the program as freshmen together.
He recieved his degree in Interdisciplinary studies from UMass in 2002, and his Bachelor's of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies from Tennessee Technological University in 2005.
Killings on Jenkins:
“We are thrilled to add someone with Willie’s maturity and experience level to our program. Willie has built an extremely successful and diverse career. Having been a head coach and high school coach in Memphis, TN, coaching recent Marquette graduate and second-round NBA draft pick Kam Jones, and most recently serving as associate head coach at Lehigh University. The Tenn Tech Hall of Famer will be a welcome mentor, developer, and coach of our young men, and we are better for it.”
