HR 1047

1 State of Arkansas
2 95th General Assembly
3 Fiscal Session, 2026  HR 1047
4
5 By: Representatives Duffield, Eaton, J. Mayberry, Pilkington, R. Scott Richardson
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8HOUSE RESOLUTION
9TO RECOGNIZE THE MANY ACHIEVEMENTS OF COACH DAVE
10WILBERS OF THE ARKANSAS TECH UNIVERSITY GOLDEN SUNS
11AND TO CONGRATULATE COACH WILBERS ON HIS RETIREMENT.
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14Subtitle
15TO RECOGNIZE THE MANY ACHIEVEMENTS OF
16COACH DAVE WILBERS OF THE ARKANSAS TECH
17UNIVERSITY GOLDEN SUNS AND TO
18CONGRATULATE COACH WILBERS ON HIS
19RETIREMENT.
20
21WHEREAS, Coach Dave Wilbers became the head coach of the Arkansas Tech
22 University women's Golden Suns basketball program on April 30, 2007; and
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24WHEREAS, during his first season, Coach Wilbers led the Golden Suns to
25 a twenty-six and six (26-6) overall record, ranking number ten (10) in the
26 nation and reaching the 2008 NCAA Division II Tournament; and
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28WHEREAS, in 2010, the Golden Suns, in double overtime, defeated their
29 opponent to win the 2010 Gulf South Conference Tournament championship; and
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31WHEREAS, nine (9) days later, Coach Wilbers' team defeated the same
32 opponent in the 2010 NCAA Division II Tournament South Region final, earning
33 Arkansas Tech University's first NCAA Elite Eight appearance in over a
34 decade; and
35
36WHEREAS, in the 2010-2011 season, Coach Wilbers and his Golden Suns
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  HR1047
1 team earned a number one (1) national ranking and went on to once again win
2 the Gulf South Conference Tournament and become the NCAA Division II
3 Tournament South Region champions; and
4
5      WHEREAS, in the following seasons, Coach Wilbers led the team to Great
6 American Conference regular season titles, Great American Conference
7 Tournament championships, and secured spots in the NCAA Division II
8 Tournament; and
9
10      WHEREAS, during Coach Wilbers' tenure, the Golden Suns earned an
11 impressive three hundred eighty-two (382) victories, nine (9) NCAA Division
12 II Tournament berths, seven (7) regular season conference championships, five
13 (5) conference tournament championships, and two (2) NCAA Division II region
14 titles; and
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16      WHEREAS, among every person who has ever coached basketball at Arkansas
17 Tech University, for either the men's or women's teams, Coach Wilbers ranks
18 number two (2) in all-time wins, landing behind only Arkansas Sports Hall of
19 Fame member Joe Foley; and
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21      WHEREAS, Coach Wilbers ends his career tied with another Arkansas
22 Sports Hall of Fame member, Sam Hindsman, for most seasons as a head
23 basketball coach at Arkansas Tech University, with nineteen (19) seasons; and
24
25      WHEREAS, Abby Davis, Athletic Director at Arkansas Tech University,
26 said, "Coach Wilbers achieved one of the most difficult feats in his
27 profession — he arrived with great expectations, and he exceeded them.     His
28 tenure at Arkansas Tech has enhanced the reputation of the Golden Suns as
29 being one of the most successful programs in women’s college basketball. And
30 he has done all of this while maintaining a remarkable degree of academic
31 achievement that has prepared the student-athletes under his direction for
32 success beyond basketball",
33
34 NOW THEREFORE,
35 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL
36 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
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  HR1047
1
2      THAT the House of Representatives recognize Coach Dave Wilbers for his
3 impact on women's college basketball at Arkansas Tech University during his
4 illustrious tenure and congratulate Coach Wilbers on his retirement and the
5 lasting legacy he leaves behind in the Golden Suns basketball program.
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7 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT upon adoption, a copy of this resolution be
8 presented to Coach Dave Wilbers by the Chief Clerk of the House of
9 Representatives.
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