Kendal Williams was born on September 23, 1995 in Jacksonville, Florida. Representing the United States at the 2014 World Junior Championships in Athletics, he earned gold medals in the 100 meters and the 4 × 100 m relay, upsetting teammate and favorite Trayvon Bromell in the 100 m who had earlier that year become the first junior to break the 10-second barrier. Williams attended Stanton College Preparatory School where he won multiple state titles and was a high school All-American. He went to Florida State University on scholarship in 2014 and competed for the Seminoles in 2015, placing second in the Atlantic Coast Conference Championships 100 m with a wind-assisted 9.98 seconds run as a freshman. However he transferred to the University of Georgia after his freshman year, following coach Ken Harnden whose contract had not been renewed by Florida State. In his senior year at Georgia he clocked a 9.99 s run, this time with allowable wind, in the Southeastern Conference Championships 100 m to win and set a new personal best. He did not progress out of his heat at the NCAA Division I Championships, but he went on to make the final at the USA Championships, finishing third in his last race representing the Bulldogs. He went on to represent the United States at the inaugural Athletics World Cup, earning a silver medal in the 100 m and a gold medal in the 4 × 100 m relay.