CONWAY, Ark. – Head women's basketball coach Tony Kemper has signed a contract extension for the next several years, Director of Athletics Matt Whiting announced on Tuesday. The decision comes after two extremely successful seasons for the Sugar Bears, who reached back-to-back ASUN Championship finals over the last two years.
 
"Coach Kemper's steady, confident leadership has brought about tremendous success for our women's basketball program in a short period of time. He and his staff have done a great job evaluating talent, instilling a culture, and setting a standard within our program," Whiting said. "We are fortunate to have Coach Kemper leading our program, and with this extension, I am excited that he and his family will continue to call Conway home."
 
Kemper, who coached with Central Arkansas's basketball teams from 2006-12, returned to the Sugar Bears in 2023, stepping in to lead a team that was returning just three players. Replacing upwards of 90 percent of the production from the year prior, Kemper and the Sugar Bears won 21 games, finishing 11-5 in ASUN play and earning a spot in the ASUN Championship Final. The Sugar Bears repeated the feat in 2024-25, with 23 wins on the year, a 15-3 record in the ASUN, and a No. 2 seed in the ASUN Championship. Kemper would lead his squad to a second-straight ASUN Championship Final, and would host a second-straight WNIT game in the Farris Center.
 
"I am very excited to have the opportunity to continue to grow the women's basketball program here at UCA. We have a rich history of winning and this extension shows the universities commitment to what we are building," Kemper said of his extension. "Conway is a great place to live and work, and we can recruit high quality young women to the University of Central Arkansas. We will go to work to push our trajectory even higher. Thank you to the board, President Davis and Matt Whiting for making this happen."
 
His 45 wins over his first two seasons are the most wins by a Sugar Bear head coach since Checola Seals-Horton, who won the same number of games from 2004-06. He heads into 2025-26 with a roster that includes ASUN Defensive Player of the Year Bree Stephens, along with Sugar Bear returners Cheyanne Kemp, Jenna Cook and Kamryn Griffin.