THOMASVILLE, Ga. –  Scott Gowan has been hired as Assistant Coach for the Cross Country/Track and Field teams Monday, announced Head Coach Scott Hutchinson.

 

Gowan joins the Night Hawks after a historic run in the Capital of Florida and newly built Chiles High School. The Bristol, Fla. native served as head coach for 17 years for both the boys and girls cross country, track and field teams. Gowan built the Timberwolves' programs from the ground up, notching 11 state titles in Boys cross country (2003,2005,2006,2014), Girls Cross Country (2008,2009,2010, 2015) and Boys track and field (2003,2014,2015), as well as 19 regional and 44 district titles. 

 

Gowan is no stranger to the coaching realm after spending several years as Port St. Joe High School's head coach for the varsity boys track and field team for 13 years, cross country (11 years), middle school boys basketball team (nine years) and assistant varsity football (four years). 

 

Prior to his time at Port St. Joe  High School, Gowan led the Port St.Joe boy's track and field team to six straight state titles (1994-1999), two regional titles and eight district titles. The boys' cross country team also won a state title in 1997; state runner-up titles in football ('89) and boys cross country ('96) and boys district cross country title ('89).

 

Gowan has seen success at both Port St. Joe and Chiles High School after securing State Champions and All State Athletes in several events including shot put, discus, hurdles, long jump and multiple sprinting events. Gowan's teams have won a combined 102 FHSAA team titles which includes 18 state titles, 10 state runner-up titles, 21 regional titles and 53 district titles. Five of his cross country teams at Chiles High School have been nationally ranked. Over more than 50 of his athletes were individual state champions in their respective events which includes,110 hurdles, High Jump and Mile Run. He's had over 150 athletes named to FHSAA All-State. He has had eight athletes selected as the Florida Dairy Farmers Athlete of the Year, while five athletes were selected as High School All-Americans. Two of his athletes set track and field records, with over 100 of his athletes furthering their athletic career on a collegiate scholarship. Gowan is just one of the few in Florida high school cross country and track and field coaches who has won FHSAA state team titles in two sports at two different schools. 

 

Gowan has worked at several track and field camps at Florida State University with Harlis Meaders and Tom Shaw  who is a speed guru for NFL draft prospects. 

 

Gowan has been recognized for his 35 years of coaching through high school and middle school associations. These include the Florida Athletics Coaches Association (FACA) Hall of Fame ; Florida Track and Field Hall of Fame; Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Hall of Fame. He's been selected as Coach of the Year 45 times which includes the National Federation High School (NFHS) Boys National Track and Field Coach of the Year (1995,1998, 2012). Gowan has been selected as Florida's Dairy Farmers Coach of the Year (17 awards);Tallahassee Democrat Coach of the Year (25 awards), and the Florida Track and Field Coach of the Year (2010). Gowan also served as head coach for the North Boys FACA Cross Country Senior All-Star Meet in 2003. 

 

"I am very excited to join the Thomas University Night Hawks' cross country and track and field teams'', says Gowan.  "I would like to thank President Sheppard, Athletic Director Mr. Rick Pearce and Head Coach Scott Hutchinson for giving me this opportunity. Coach Hutchinson and his athletes have done an amazing job in just two short years and are building something very special at TU. I am looking forward to being a part of the program and doing my part to help bring Championships back to Thomas University and the city of Thomasville. "

 

"We are extremely excited to add Coach Scott Gowan to the Thomas XC/Track and Field Coaching staff, '' Head Coach Scott Hutchinson says.  We interviewed a number of strong candidates and Coach Gowan simply stood out. His impressive achievements with numerous State Championships at the High School level, his experience in a number of different events and his passion for this great sport will be a great addition to our program and Thomas overall. The amount of contacts he has throughout the southern states will help us take off with the program including recruiting.

For up-to-date information on this game and other TU Athletics, visit http://www.TUNightHawks.com. Stay up-to-date with news, scores, photos, game summaries, play-by-play, and feature stories of your TU men's and women's cross country and track and field teams by following them via Twitter at @TUXCTF1.