University of Central Arkansas Athletics

    Brock Widders came to Central Arkansas in 2017-18. Since his arrival, he has led or assisted with recruiting, academics, scouting, player development, basketball operations, and has been credited with reviving the men’s basketball summer camps.

    Widders was a part of a record-breaking season in 2017-18 as the Bears won the most conference games in the schools NCAA Division I history, and won the first postseason game
in the schools Division I  history. In 2018-19, the Bears made their third consecutive appearance in the Southland Conference tournament, which was another first for the program.

    Widders stepped in to serve as the recruiting coordinator since transitioning to the Atlantic Sun Conference in 2021. A season where key in-state additions including 4-Star transfer, Darious Hall, and Camren Hunter helped lead the Bears to a third-place finish in the ASUN West along with a conference tournament first round victory. Hunter was later named ASUN Freshman of the Year for the 2021-22 season. 

    Student- Athletes, such as 4-Star prospects (Darious Hall and Javion Guy-King), 6A Arkansas Player of the year (Tucker Anderson), 2021-22 ASUN Freshman of the year (Camren Hunter), Elias Cato, and transfers (Daniel Sofield and Ubong Etim) are a few notable additions that Widders has led recruiting efforts on. 

    Since 2021 he has also served as the Associate Head Coach for Team Arkansas during the high stakes TBT games that take place each July. During his tenure, Team Arkansas has reached the Sweet 16 two different times. 

    During 2022-23 season, Widders stepped in to serve as the Acting Head Coach for the remaining 16 games of the season. This came with a pair of notable road victories at Queens University and Florida Gulf Coast University. Following the season, he was one of 46 NCAA coaches selected to participate in the 2023 NCAA Basketball Coaches Academy held at the NCAA National Offices in Indianapolis, Ind. 
   
     A native of Alma, Ark., Widders came to Central Arkansas after finishing his collegiate playing career at Lyon College in Batesville, Ark. While playing for Coach Chad Tapp’s Scots, Widders served as team captain all four years, was a member of the AMC Conference Champions of Character Team in 2017, AMC Academic All-Conference Team in 2016-17, and The All State NABC Good Works Team Nominee in 2017.  Widders ranks eighth in the Scot’s record book for career assists and eighth for best free-throw percentage in a season.
 
    As a decorated Arkansas prep player, Widders played under Coach Stan Flenor and helped Alma High School to a 5A State Championship his sophomore year and back to the 5A State Championship game his senior year. He played in the Arkansas High School Coaches; Association All-Star Game at UCA's Farris Center in the summer of 2013. 
 
    Widders earned a degree in history and a minor in physical education from Lyon in the spring of 2017 and completed his master’s degree in Instructional Technology at UCA in the Fall of 2020.
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    Brock is married to Bobie Jo Widders, who is a Family Physician at Banister-Lieblong Clinic in Conway.