Arkansas Tech University Athletics

Kadem Tharp enters his fourth year as assistant coach of the Arkansas Tech baseball program.

Tharp and the Wonder Boys have posted a 63-44 record in his two seasons as assistant coach, and Tech reached postseason play both years. The Wonder Boys are coming off a 29-23 record in 2018, their fifth winning season over the past six years. Arkansas Tech finished the regular season fifth in the GAC standings but defeated two-seeded Southern Arkansas in the opening round of the GAC Tournament before falling to Oklahoma Baptist in the tournament semifinals. 
 
Tharp has coached nine all-conference selections at Arkansas Tech, as well as two all-region honorees. 

Tharp came to Russellville after working as the head baseball instructor for the Hangar/Sliders Indoor Baseball/Softball Academy in Salina, Kan. Since 2011, his duties included teaching fundamentals of baseball and overseeing day-to-day operations.
 
From 2006-2010, Tharp was the head assistant and pitching coach for Kansas Wesleyan University. During his four years, Tharp was also the recruiting coordinator. In 2007, he earned a master’s degree from Kansas Wesleyan in business administration.
 
Tharp began his baseball career at Brown Mackie College in 2002, where he was a 2003 All-Region infielder. He then joined the team at Ottawa University in Ottawa, Kan., staying until he received his bachelor’s degree in 2005. In 2004, Tharp was named to the KCAC All-Conference First Team.
 

Kadem and his wife Kerry have 4 kids: Brette, Kanon, Bane, and Kamryn.