Head Coach Bill Brock

Bill Brock is entering his second season as the head coach of Tarleton State Women’s Basketball in 2024-25.

In 2023-24, the Texans went 11-20 overall, 7-13 in Western Athletic Conference play. They ended the season on a high note, winning three of their final four regular season games to advance to the WAC Tournament, their first postseason conference tournament appearance at the NCAA Division I level. In the WAC Tournament first round, the 7-seed Texans defeated the 6-seed Abilene Christian Wildcats 54-41. It marked Tarleton’s first conference tournament win in their NCAA Division I era, and their conference tournament win in five years, last winning their Lone Star Conference Tournament opener 62-61 against Midwestern State on March 8, 2019.

Year-over-year from a program that Brock inherited, the Texans won five additional conference games and three more games overall, including the WAC Tournament berth. Defensively, the Texans were a top-five team in the conference most of the season, finishing second in scoring defense (65.4 PPG), second in blocks (3.9 BPG), fourth in opposing field goal percentage (.392) and fourth in opposing three-point percentage (.305).

The Texans won Brock’s first game at the helm in resounding fashion, defeating Howard Payne at home 106-38 on Nov. 6. In a tough road trip immediately following that, the Texans held tough and nearly came away with road victories at Texas Tech (70-63) and New Mexico (65-55). Brock’s first conference victory came on Dec. 2, with Tarleton State upending UTRGV 72-66. The Texans played their best basketball of the season when it mattered most at the end, going 4-1 over a five-game stretch from Feb. 29-March 13 to not only make the WAC Tournament, but win in the conference tournament in Las Vegas.

Brock holds an over 40-year coaching resume and a national championship pedigree. Tarleton State hired the three-time NCAA Division I national champion and longtime Baylor associate head coach Brock as their women’s basketball head coach on March 27, 2023. Brock became the seventh head coach in program history.

Brock was on the Baylor women’s basketball coaching staff under head coach Kim Mulkey for 18 seasons, serving as associate head coach for 16 years after two years as an assistant coach. He coached there from 2000-06 and 2009-21, bookended by a three-year stint as the associate head coach at Texas Tech from 2006-09. In 2022-23, Brock served as the head coach at McLennan CC, leading the Highlassies to the NJCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championships, their first berth since 1984.

Brock was the Lady Bears associate head coach for three memorable national championship seasons in 2019, 2012 and 2005. He also helped Baylor to the 2010 Final Four, seven Elite Eight appearances, and 23 Big 12 Conference titles (12 regular season, 11 tournament).

Under Mulkey and Brock, Baylor was truly a powerhouse, going 552-83 (.869) across the 18 seasons, posting 20+ wins each year, 30+ wins 10 times, and a perfect 40-0 campaign in 2011-12. The Lady Bears made it to the NCAA Tournament in all but two of Brock’s seasons, one because there was no such tournament due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019-20. Over the last 11 years he was at Baylor, the team went 340-28 (.924).

In charge of the post players while at Baylor, Brock helped develop several All-Americans, including Sophia Young, Steffanie Blackmon, Danielle Crockrom, Destiny Williams, Brittney Griner, Nina Davis, Kalani Brown, Lauren Cox and NaLyssa Smith. He coached 10 WNBA draft picks that include seven first rounders, the No. 1 overall pick in 2013 (Griner) and the No. 2 overall pick in 2022 (Smith). Nine centers and forwards tallied 46 all-America awards under Brock’s watch.

“Bill Brock is a proven winner everywhere he’s been,” Texas women’s basketball head coach  Vic Schaefer said at the time of his hiring. “He’s been a part of championship teams. His teams are well coached. He’s a veteran who has been around the game a long time. Bill Brock has always been about family, both his personal family as well as his student-athletes. Tarleton State can expect a highly competitive women’s basketball program that will succeed both in the classroom, on the court and will represent their university and the community with grace and class. Tarleton State just hit a home run.”

In 2022-23 at McLennan CC, Brock took the Highlassies to a 28-5 overall record, the first time they’ve reached the 20-win plateau since 2013-14. McLennan was ranked as high as No. 8 in the NJCAA poll and received one of eight at-large bids to the NJCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championships.

“Bill Brock is one of the most respected coaches in basketball,” Dallas Wings head coach Latricia Trammell said at the time of his hiring. “He is one of the nation’s elite recruiters and has been an integral part of some of the most successful teams in women’s basketball. He will make an immediate positive impact on Tarleton State University and the community of Stephenville.

“Bill is an inspiring and empowering coach that will demand the best out of his players,” Trammell added. “The Tarleton State fans are going to enjoy watching the competitive spirit displayed on the court.”

During his three-year stint as associate head coach at Texas Tech, Brock helped orchestrate a top-10 recruiting class in his first year with the Lady Raiders. Texas Tech had winning seasons in each of his campaigns before he returned to Waco.

“Bill Brock is an outstanding person and coach who will make a huge impact on Tarleton Women’s Basketball and the entire university community,” Iowa State women’s basketball head coach Bill Fennelly said at the time of his hiring. “Bill is a great friend who has been a part of some of the most successful women’s basketball teams ever during his time at Baylor. He’s a coach who will recruit student-athletes who compete hard and at both ends of the floor. The fans will love the connection they will have with everyone in the program. This is a significant hire by Tarleton in every way.”

Brock spent 13 years as the head coach at Grayson College from 1987-2000, establishing the program as one of the best in the junior college ranks. He was voted the conference Coach of the Year nine times and regional Coach of the Year twice, and was also recognized in 1996 as the National Junior College Coach of the Year by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association.

During his first year at Grayson, Brock led the Lady Vikings to their first Northern Texas Conference title and a top-25 national ranking. Grayson continued that success by winning 10 conference championships, two regional titles and two national tournament berths (2000 and 1996). In total at Grayson, he went 371-50, highlighted by a 36-1 season and a third-place finish at the 2000 NJCAA National Tournament. He also coached 10 Northern Texas Conference Most Valuable Players and nine All-Americans.

In 2019, Brock was inducted to the inaugural class of the Grayson College Athletics Hall of Fame. The school has named the gym as "Bill Brock Court” in his honor.

“Bill is a hard worker, very professional and a proven winner,” Wichita State women’s basketball head coach Keitha Adams said at the time of his hiring. “The fans can expect him to bring a great caliber of basketball that will be fun to watch. He’s a true Texas guy who’s always enjoyable to talk to.”

Brock began his collegiate coaching career at East Central, spending two seasons as an assistant coach there from 1985-87. The Durant, Oklahoma, native, also spent three seasons as the head coach for the boys’ basketball team at Durant High School from 1982-85.