TERRY FOWLER
Terry Fowler enters his fourth season as
head coach of the University of North
Alabama women’s basketball team. He became
the seventh head coach in the program’s
history in March of 2006 and immediately
began the process of restoring the Lions’
winning tradition.
In his first season, Fowler led UNA to a
solid 14-14 mark, which was a nine-win
improvement over the school’s 2005-06
record. He also led UNA back to the GSC
Tournament for the first time in since 2003.
Individually, the Lions’ Amber Rutherford
was named GSC East Division Player of the
Year and led the NCAA Division II in free
throw percentage at 93.7.
UNA went 13-15 the following year, then
posted a 15-13 mark last season. The Lions
advanced to the GSC tourney both seasons
while Rutherford successfully defended her
national free throw championship in 2008 by
hitting 93.6 percent of her foul shots. She
finished her career with the NCAA all
division record of 92.38 percent, hitting
526 of 570 free throw attempts in four
seasons.
Fowler brought 13 years of coaching
experience to UNA when he joined the program
in 2006. He had served the previous four
seasons as head coach at Spring Hill College
in Mobile where he led the school to a 19-13
record in 2005, including a Top 25 national
ranking in the NAIA.
Fowler previously served as head coach at
Spring Hill from 1998-2000 and was then an
assistant coach at the University of South
Alabama from 2000 to 2002. In all he has 13
years of experience as a collegiate women’s
basketball coach.
In his first stint as head coach at Spring
Hill from 1998-2000, Fowler was named Gulf
Coast Athletic Conference Coach of the Year
and led the school to its first-ever
conference championship with a 23-11 record
during the 1999-00 season. The Badgers
ranked No. 1 nationally in free throw
percentage, were fourth in three- point
percentage and sixth in field goal
percentage.
In 2000 he was hired as assistant coach at
South Alabama and coordinated the Lady
Jaguars conditioning, recruiting and
scouting and worked with the guards. The
program had not had a winning season in 10
years and had averaged just eight wins per
season but in 2001 USA won 13 games and
advanced to the first round of the Sun Belt
Tournament.
The following year South Alabama was 17-11
and had its first winning season in 12
years. The Lady Jaguars were ranked sixth in
Division I in scoring defense and ranked
second nationally for the fewest turnovers
per game.
A native of Jackson, Tenn., Fowler earned
his bachelor’s degree in business
administration from Lane College in 1986 and
a master’s degree in sports management from
the United States Sports Academy in 1994.
Fowler began his collegiate playing career
at Lincoln Memorial University, where he
played as a freshman and sophomore. He then
played his final two seasons at Lane. As a
player at Lane, he was an All- Southern
Intercollegiate Athletic Conference pick as
a senior and was a two-time Academic All-SIAC
pick.
Fowler spent 11 seasons coaching the Lady
Badgers. Prior to serving as head coach from
1998-2000, he was an assistant under former
head coach James Walker. Upon his return to
Spring Hill he led the team to the GCAC
conference and tournament championships,
which earned them a first-ever birth in the
NAIA National Tournament during the 2002-03
season.
Fowler and his wife, Carolyn, have four
children, Megan (20), Geoffrey (18), Morgan
(15) and Madison (10).
