Dave Wilbers announced on Monday, Nov. 10, that he will retire as head coach of the Arkansas Tech University women’s basketball program after the 2025-26 basketball season.
The longest-tenured head women’s basketball coach in Golden Suns history, Wilbers enters his 19th and final season at Arkansas Tech with a record of 363-153 and two NCAA Division II South Region championships, nine NCAA Division II Tournament berths, seven regular season conference championships and five conference tournament titles.
Among every person who has ever coached basketball at Arkansas Tech — men’s or women’s — Wilbers ranks No. 2 in all-time wins. The only person with more victories as an Arkansas Tech head basketball coach is Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame member Joe Foley, who won 456 games while leading the Golden Suns program from 1987-2003.
Wilbers will end his career tied with another Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame member — Sam Hindsman — for most seasons as a head basketball coach at Arkansas Tech. Hindsman led the Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys program from 1947-66.
“Today, I want to say thank you for the last 19 years I have had the opportunity to be the head women’s basketball coach at Arkansas Tech University,” said Wilbers. “After many conversations with my family, this will be my final year as the head coach of the Arkansas Tech Golden Suns. The impact the players, people and university have had on my life will always be remembered and cherished.
“I want to personally thank all of you who have had a positive impact on my life and the program,” continued Wilbers. “Arkansas Tech University is a special place, and I have had the honor of serving as the head women’s basketball coach. So many people and friends who have given their time…it has been a privilege to serve along with you. Coaching at Arkansas Tech University has been a way of life for us for 19 years and I will continue to be a Golden Suns fan and supporter for the rest of my life. I am looking forward to a great season of Golden Suns basketball in 2025-26. We will continue to represent the standard we have established, competing on the highest level and pursuing another championship this season.”
Wilbers was introduced as the sixth head coach of the intercollegiate athletics era for Arkansas Tech women’s basketball on April 30, 2007.
In his first season, the Golden Suns finished 26-6 overall, were ranked as high as No. 10 in the nation and reached the 2008 NCAA Division II Tournament. Wilbers and All-America forward Amanda Grappe led Arkansas Tech to 19 wins and a Gulf South Conference Tournament berth in 2008-09.
It was during the subsequent off-season that Wilbers began to put his stamp on the illustrious history of Golden Suns basketball.
One of the greatest recruiting classes in Arkansas Tech women’s basketball history — Jenny Vining (All-American), Natalia Santos (All-American), Jessica Weatherford, Laura Beth Anderson, Katie Horsman, Shaquilah Davis and Samanta Ludwig — arrived on campus in fall 2009 and went about the task of taking down the obstacle that had been in the Golden Suns’ path for so very many years: the Delta State Lady Statesmen.
After splitting two games with the Lady Statesmen during the regular season, Arkansas Tech defeated Delta State 75-73 in double overtime to win the 2010 Gulf South Conference Tournament championship.
Nine days later, the Golden Suns did it again. They beat the Lady Statesmen 73-62 in the 2010 NCAA Division II Tournament South Region final to earn Arkansas Tech’s first NCAA Elite Eight appearance since 1999.
From there, the Wilbers era was off and running. The Golden Suns achieved a No. 1 national ranking and repeated as GSC West Division, GSC Tournament and NCAA Division II South Region champions during the 2010-11 season. All-America guard Rosie Silva joined the program the following season and the Golden Suns won Great American Conference regular season championships in 2011-12 and 2012-13 along with the 2013 GAC Tournament title and a berth in the 2013 NCAA Division II Tournament.
Following the recruitment of All-America forward Fatima Adams, Arkansas Tech won GAC regular season championships during the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons. Adams’ senior season was punctuated by winning the 2016 GAC Tournament title and advancing to the second round of the 2016 NCAA Division II Tournament. It was the Suns’ second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.
Wilbers and the Golden Suns extended their streak to four consecutive NCAA Division II Tournament appearances by making it back in 2017 and 2018. Arkansas Tech returned to the GAC Tournament championship game under Wilbers in 2019 and 2022, and the Golden Suns won the GAC East Division and earned an NCAA Division II Tournament bid during the pandemic-abbreviated season of 2021.
“Coach Wilbers achieved one of the most difficult feats in his profession — he arrived with great expectations, and he exceeded them,” said Abby Davis, ATU director of athletics. “His tenure at Arkansas Tech has enhanced the reputation of the Golden Suns as being one of the most successful programs in women’s college basketball. And he has done all of this while maintaining a remarkable degree of academic achievement that has prepared the student-athletes under his direction for success beyond basketball. We are grateful for Coach Wilbers’ historically great leadership of Golden Suns basketball and we invite Arkansas Tech fans to join us in expressing our appreciation by supporting and cheering for the Golden Suns during the 2025-26 season.”
