Dave Wilbers will prove it is never too late to try something new during the 2025-26 basketball season.
Wilbers, who is entering his 19th and final season as head women’s basketball coach at Arkansas Tech University, said the Golden Suns will utilize a full-court press and up-tempo style in an attempt to take advantage of their athleticism and overcome their relative lack of height.
“It’ll be very different than anybody’s used to,” said Wilbers, who announced on Nov. 10 that he will retire after the 2025-26 basketball season. “We’ve always had good size and controlled the ball. We’re going to run and press this year. We’re not very big this year. It’s the smallest team I’ve ever had here at Arkansas Tech, but we’re very fast and very athletic.
“There are going to be some times when we’re going to have to be patient as coaches and as fans because we’re going to give up some layups every once in a while because we’re pressing,” continued Wilbers. “But we’re pretty good shooting the basketball. We’re going to shoot a lot more 3-pointers this year and cause some turnovers. The strength of the team this year is we have great numbers. I truly think we could play 13 kids in the first half of our first game.”
The Golden Suns will begin their 49th season of intercollegiate basketball by taking on Texas A&M International University at 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 14, at Tucker Coliseum in Russellville.
Tickets are available at www.arkansastechsports.com/tickets. A promotion by the ATU Department of Athletics will provide free admission to the Golden Suns’ season opener for anyone age 65 or older.
Arkansas Tech’s leading returning scorers are sophomore AbbiGrace Cunningham of Atkins (9.7 points per game), senior Hayleigh Wyrick of Pearcy (9.6 points per game) and sophomore Dessie Lancaster of Mount Vernon (6.8 points per game).
Senior guard ClaraGrace Prater of Vilonia, who reached double figures in scoring in 10 of the Golden Suns’ final 16 games during the 2023-24 season, is back after suffering a season-ending injury in the 2024-25 season opener.
Top newcomers include senior Jadah Pickens of Conway, who averaged 15.7 points per game at Henderson State University in 2024-25; junior Mackenzie Heeke of Norman, Okla., who averaged double figures in scoring during two junior college seasons before transferring to Arkansas Tech; freshman Shalyn Lyle of DeQueen, who was the most valuable player in the Arkansas Class 4A state championship game in March; and freshman Logan Young of Dover, who scored more than 2,000 career points for the Lady Pirates and helped them reach the 2025 Arkansas Class 3A state championship game.
“I don’t want to put too much on Logan, but she could be the freshman of the year in the Great American Conference,” said Wilbers. “She’s led us in all of our scrimmages in points and rebounds. She is as athletic of a player as I have ever coached in 38 years of coaching.”
Live coverage of Arkansas Tech basketball during the 2025-26 season will be provided by KCJC 102.3 FM, the EAB Media Group app and www.arkansastechsports.com.
Talk to you on the radio.
Tech Tidbits is a column written by Sam Strasner, ATU director of university relations and radio play-by-play voice for ATU football and basketball.
