Tom A. Triplitt Outstanding Young Alumni Award: Billy Napier ’03
Furman University presented a number of major awards at its annual Bell Tower Ball Saturday, Feb. 11.
The event, which took place at the Greenville Convention Center, celebrated the accomplishments of members of the Furman community. Several alumni, a community partner and friends of the university were honored for their professional achievements and for their generosity, service and leadership to the university and community.
Tom A. Triplitt Outstanding Young Alumni Award
Billy Napier ’03
Recognizes an alumnus who graduated in the past 20 years and who has brought honor or recognition to Furman through individual accomplishments or as a volunteer.
In November 2021, Billy Napier was announced as the 29th head coach of the Florida Gators football team. His highly successful tenure as the head coach of University of Louisiana-Lafayette from 2018-2021 positioned him perfectly for this prestigious role.
While at Louisiana-Lafayette, the program was vaulted into new heights as the team broke into the national rankings in 2020 for the first time in the modern era. Billy was a two-time Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year in 2019 and 2020 and solidified a spot for the Ragin’ Cajuns within the top 25 on all of the major college football ranking polls. In 2021 he led the program to their first conference championship title since 2005 and only the second time in program history. Billy’s time at the school culminated with Louisiana’s fourth straight Sun Belt Conference Championship over Appalachian State to finish with a career record of 28-7 against conference opponents. He was named the 2020 Louisiana Sports Writer Association Coach of the Year and was voted the program’s first Sun Belt Coach of the Year.
Billy has had coaching opportunities at top programs such as Arizona State, Alabama, Colorado State and Clemson. Of note is his direct involvement in Alabama’s 26 game winning streak from 2015-2016 and being named Clemson’s youngest offensive coordinator in school history and in the nation. Billy has seen several of his players drafted into the NFL.
As the Paladins starting quarterback, Billy was a four-year letter winner and two-time All-Southern Conference selection and led his team to two Southern Conference championships. In 2001, Billy’s junior year, the Paladins advanced to the Division I-AA national championship game, losing to Montana. He was inducted into Furman University’s Athletic Hall of Fame, Class of 2022.
He is a native of Chatsworth, Georgia, and married to alumna Ali Gunn Napier ’03. They have three children – a daughter, Annie, 10, and sons, Sammy, 8, and Charlie, 6. He earned his bachelor’s degree in health and exercise science from Furman in 2003.
Click here to watch the Bell Tower Ball video honoring Billy Napier.