CONWAY, Ark. _ A familiar face has been hired as the new University of Central Arkansas women's basketball head coach, according to UCA director of athletics Dr. Brad Teague.

Tony Kemper was named the head coach of the Sugar Bears on Friday. Kemper has been the head coach at Marshall University since 2017 but is a recognizable face to UCA fans. Kemper was a men's assistant coach at UCA from 2006-10 under Rand Chappell, and a women's assistant coach under Matt Daniel from 2010-12. He followed Daniel to Marshall in 2012 and served as associate head coach until Daniel resigned in 2017.

"I'm so excited to be back at Central Arkansas," said Kemper, a native of Logan, Kansas. "Our women's basketball program has a rich tradition of championships and postseason play across multiple eras and I look forward to working to get us back to the top of a very competitive league, the ASUN. 

"We will recruit student-athletes that will value their Central Arkansas degree and represent this university with class. Sandra and I are excited to return with our family to Conway and once again be an active part of this community."

Kemper led the Thundering Herd to a 17-14 overall record this season after replacing 95 percent of the previous year's scoring and 85 percent of its rebounding from the previous year. Kemper, who served on the Sun Belt Conference Women's Basketball Strategic Planning Committee, led the Herd to the second round of the WBI postseason tournament in 2019

Marshall, located in Huntington, W.V., competed in both the Sun Belt and Conference USA during Kemper's time at the university.

As an assistant at Marshall, Kemper was part of teams that made appearances in the WBI in 2014-15 and the WNIT in 2015-16. During his time at UCA, the Sugar Bears won the 2011-12 Southland Conference regular season championship and played in the WNIT (2011-12) and the WBI (2010-11). The program had an overall record of 45-19 and an SLC mark of 25-7 during his tenure.

"We are very fortunate that Coach Kemper has a history at Central Arkansas," said Teague. "His desire to come home to Conway resonated throughout the interview process. His valuable experience as a head coach at an NCAA Division I university in two separate conferences was a major factor in our decision.

"Tony will bring a great deal of experience and integrity to our university and our athletic program. We are excited and proud to welcome him, Sandra and their children back to Conway." 

A reception will be held next week for the UCA community to meet and greet the new head coach. His wife Sandra is a professor in the communications disorders department at Marshall. The couple have two sons, Brayden and Landry, and a daughter Jolie.