Ben Sowders is in his second season leading the Razorbacks’ strength and conditioning program as the Director of Strength & Conditioning.
In 2024, he earned the highest honor a strength and conditioning coach can receive when he was named a Master Strength & Conditioning Coach by the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association. The title of Master Strength & Conditioning Coach represents professionalism, knowledge, experience, expertise and longevity in the field. To earn the distinguished status, a strength and conditioning coach must be an active member of the CSCCA, be a strength and conditioning certified coach and a full-time collegiate and/or professional strength and conditioning coach for a minimum of 12 years.
The first Arkansas team under Sowders’ watch saw gains in the weight room, including offensive lineman Beaux Limmer who squatted 745 pounds prior to the start of the 2023 season. Limmer was later selected in the NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams along with kicker Cam Little, who was picked by Jacksonville. Little’s improved strength helped him become the youngest kicker to ever be selected in the NFL Draft.
Sowders comes to Arkansas after spending the 2022 season at Louisville as the Director of Strength & Conditioning for the Cardinals. This past season the Cardinals went 7-5 and earned a spot in the Fenway Bowl.
Sowders worked with Pittman at Georgia during the 2018-19 seasons – Sowders’ first of four seasons with the Bulldogs. As the Assistant Director of Strength & Conditioning, he worked with 20 student-athletes that went onto play in the NFL while also helping the Dawgs to the 2022 National Championship and three trips to the SEC Championship Game.
Prior to his time at Georgia, the Bowling Green, Ky. Native spent one season at McNeese State as the Director of Strength & Conditioning. The Cowboys posted a 9-2 record in his lone season in Lake Charles, La. Sowders spent two seasons at Georgia Tech (2015-16) after two seasons at Gardner-Webb, where he was responsible for the training of the Bulldogs’ 21 Division I programs.
His first full-time collegiate position was at Southern Miss, where he led the strength and conditioning efforts for the Golden Eagles’ men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball and softball programs while assisting with football. Prior to his time in Hattiesburg, Miss., He fulfilled a six-month internship at Alabama, where he worked with the Crimson Tide’s football, volleyball, tennis and rowing teams.
Sowders earned his start in strength and conditioning as a Facility Coordinator and Head Strength & Speed coach at D1 Sports Training in Nashville, Tenn. While at D1 Sports, he worked with numerous NFL players, including Steve Smith, Jerome Bettis, Donovan McNabb and Kyle Vanden Bosch.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in exercise science from Western Kentucky in December 2008 after playing for the Hilltoppers as a linebacker. Sowders began his career as a walk-on before earning a scholarship and becoming a two-year starter. As a senior in 2008, he recorded 47 tackles with 2.5 tackles for loss for the Hilltoppers and added 29 tackles and 3.0 tackles for loss as a junior in 2007.
He received his master’s degree in recreation and sport administration in August of 2010 from WKU. He is a member of the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCa), a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and certified by USA Weightlifting.
Sowders is married to the former Shelbee Rodgers and the couple has one daughter, Gibson.
The Sowders File
Birthdate: Dec. 20, 1985
College: Western Kentucky, 2008 B.S. Exercise Science; 2010 M.S. Recreation and Sport Administration
Family: Wife – Shelbee Rodgers, Daughter – Gibson
Coaching Experience
2012-13 Southern Miss (Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach)
2013-14 Gardner-Webb (Director of Strength & Conditioning)
2015-16 Georgia Tech (Assistant Director of Player Development)
2017 McNeese State (Director of Strength & Conditioning)
2018-21 Georgia (Assistant Director of Strength & Conditioning)
2022 Louisville (Director of Strength & Conditioning)
2023-pres. Arkansas (Director of Strength & Conditioning)
Playing Experience
2005-08 Western Kentucky
