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*CRH389* 04/23/2026 9:06:37 AM CRH389
State of Arkansas 1
95th General Assembly 2
Fiscal Session, 2026 HR 1047 3
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By: Representatives Duffield, Eaton, J. Mayberry, Pilkington, R. Scott Richardson 5
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HOUSE RESOLUTION 8
TO RECOGNIZE THE MANY ACHIEVEMENTS OF COACH DAVE 9
WILBERS OF THE ARKANSAS TECH UNIVERSITY GOLDEN SUNS 10
AND TO CONGRATULATE COACH WILBERS ON HIS RETIREMENT. 11
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Subtitle 14
TO RECOGNIZE THE MANY ACHIEVEMENTS OF 15
COACH DAVE WILBERS OF THE ARKANSAS TECH 16
UNIVERSITY GOLDEN SUNS AND TO 17
CONGRATULATE COACH WILBERS ON HIS 18
RETIREMENT. 19
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WHEREAS, Coach Dave Wilbers became the head coach of the Arkansas Tech 21
University women's Golden Suns basketball program on April 30, 2007; and 22
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WHEREAS, during his first season, Coach Wilbers led the Golden Suns to 24
a twenty-six and six (26-6) overall record, ranking number ten (10) in the 25
nation and reaching the 2008 NCAA Division II Tournament; and 26
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WHEREAS, in 2010, the Golden Suns, in double overtime, defeated their 28
opponent to win the 2010 Gulf South Conference Tournament championship; and 29
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WHEREAS, nine (9) days later, Coach Wilbers' team defeated the same 31
opponent in the 2010 NCAA Division II Tournament South Region final, earning 32
Arkansas Tech University's first NCAA Elite Eight appearance in over a 33
decade; and 34
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WHEREAS, in the 2010-2011 season, Coach Wilbers and his Golden Suns 36
HR1047
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team earned a number one (1) national ranking and went on to once again win 1
the Gulf South Conference Tournament and become the NCAA Division II 2
Tournament South Region champions; and 3
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WHEREAS, in the following seasons, Coach Wilbers led the team to Great 5
American Conference regular season titles, Great American Conference 6
Tournament championships, and secured spots in the NCAA Division II 7
Tournament; and 8
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WHEREAS, during Coach Wilbers' tenure, the Golden Suns earned an 10
impressive three hundred eighty-two (382) victories, nine (9) NCAA Division 11
II Tournament berths, seven (7) regular season conference championships, five 12
(5) conference tournament championships, and two (2) NCAA Division II region 13
titles; and 14
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WHEREAS, among every person who has ever coached basketball at Arkansas 16
Tech University, for either the men's or women's teams, Coach Wilbers ranks 17
number two (2) in all-time wins, landing behind only Arkansas Sports Hall of 18
Fame member Joe Foley; and 19
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WHEREAS, Coach Wilbers ends his career tied with another Arkansas 21
Sports Hall of Fame member, Sam Hindsman, for most seasons as a head 22
basketball coach at Arkansas Tech University, with nineteen (19) seasons; and 23
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WHEREAS, Abby Davis, Athletic Director at Arkansas Tech University, 25
said, "Coach Wilbers achieved one of the most difficult feats in his 26
profession — he arrived with great expectations, and he exceeded them. His 27
tenure at Arkansas Tech has enhanced the reputation of the Golden Suns as 28
being one of the most successful programs in women’s college basketball. And 29
he has done all of this while maintaining a remarkable degree of academic 30
achievement that has prepared the student-athletes under his direction for 31
success beyond basketball", 32
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NOW THEREFORE, 34
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL 35
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 36
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THAT the House of Representatives recognize Coach Dave Wilbers for his 2
impact on women's college basketball at Arkansas Tech University during his 3
illustrious tenure and congratulate Coach Wilbers on his retirement and the 4
lasting legacy he leaves behind in the Golden Suns basketball program. 5
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT upon adoption, a copy of this resolution be 7
presented to Coach Dave Wilbers by the Chief Clerk of the House of 8
Representatives. 9
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