Arkansas basketball has a new head strength and conditioning coach.
The Razorbacks have hired Marcus Edwards to fill the role, a source confirmed to HawgBeat, adding a coach with SEC and NCAA Tournament pedigree to John Calipari’s staff.
Edwards takes over a position that sat vacant after Dave Richardson departed in the offseason to return to Ohio State.
Richardson’s exit ended a nine-year run in Fayetteville that stretched across three different head coaches.
Richardson first came to Arkansas in 2018 under Mike Anderson. He stayed put when Eric Musselman took over and remained through Calipari’s first two seasons before heading back to Columbus.
Edwards brings SEC background to Fayetteville
Edwards arrives in Fayetteville from Oklahoma State, where he spent two seasons working under coach Steve Lutz.
His time in Stillwater wasn’t without results. The Cowboys improved by five wins in his first year and climbed more than 30 spots in the NCAA NET rankings while making a run to the NIT quarterfinals.
Before Oklahoma State, Edwards worked two seasons at Vanderbilt under Jerry Stackhouse, the former NBA All-Star who earned SEC Coach of the Year honors in 2023.
During his first year with the Commodores, Vanderbilt posted 22 wins and reached the NIT quarterfinals.
That stint also put Edwards on the same staff as Brad Calipari, who’s now an assistant at Arkansas, during the 2023-24 season.
When Lutz announced Edwards’ hiring at Oklahoma State in June 2024, he made clear what he was looking for in the role.
“Our brand of basketball requires physically and mentally resilient athletes, and Marcus has an extensive track record of developing them,” Lutz said. “He’s a hard worker who is passionate about his craft and about helping student-athletes reach their full potential.
“He’s an outstanding mentor and relationship builder, and I know he will have a positive impact on our program.”
A career built across multiple stops
Edwards’ path to Fayetteville runs through several programs. Before his time in Nashville, he spent a season at Wyoming in 2018-19 and two years at Southern Illinois from 2019 to 2021.
He also completed two separate stints at Missouri, his alma mater, working under former head coach Cuonzo Martin.
His first tour in Columbia came during the 2017-18 season when he served as assistant strength and conditioning coach.
That Mizzou squad reached the NCAA Tournament as an No. 8 seed. He returned to the University of Missouri for the 2021-22 season as director of athletic performance.
Edwards graduated from Missouri in 2015 and later earned a master’s degree from the University of Texas in 2017 after a two-year stint as a graduate strength and conditioning intern.
He’s also certified by the Collegiate Strength & Conditioning Coaches Association.
He’s got a playing background as well. Edwards won back-to-back Kansas Class 4A state titles at Kansas City Sumner High School.
Edwards and his wife Anika have a daughter, Ahna, and a son, MeeJay.
