Coach Lowery leaving his mark on the court

The UTRGV Women’s Volleyball Team celebrated Head Coach Todd Lowery’s 500th win Oct. 26 against California Baptist University.

The Vaqueras beat the Lancers 3 sets to 1 at the Fieldhouse to give Lowery not only the win for the night, but also his 500th coaching career victory.

Lowery has been the head coach for the women’s volleyball team since 2015.

Before becoming a Vaquero, he already had four national championships under his belt (2002, 2006, 2011 and 2013), according to goutrgv.com

Lowery coached the National American University volleyball team to the NAIA National Championship in 2002 and then again in 2006, before transferring to the University of Texas at Brownsville/Texas Southmost College.

His first year at UTB/TSC, he made it to the NAIA quarterfinals, and to the semifinals the following year, ultimately leading the Scorpions to their first NAIA National Championship in 2011. In 2013, he led the UTB volleyball team to an NAIA National Championship.

“500 wins,” Lowery said. “A lot of good players, a lot of good teams over the course of the years and definitely something to be proud of. But you have to give credit to all the kids over the years and not just that, but the programs that I’ve been at.”

He has set national, regional and personal records, including the 2006 NAIA National Coach of the Year award, 12 regional coach of the year awards (2002-2007 and 2009-2014) and one South Dakota Associate Press Coach of the Year award in 2002.

Lowery earned a master of education in education administration from Chadron State College in Nebraska, and a bachelor of education in physical education with a minor in athletic coaching, chemistry, and health and wellness from Black Hills State University in South Dakota, according to goutrgv.com.

He said his philosophy is to care about the players and to also help them develop as people.

“I think that creates an environment of caring in our gym and when kids know that you care about them, they’ll play really hard for you,” Lowery said.

Junior outside hitter Jackie Kingsbury said she has known Lowery since she was 8 years old.

“I’ve known coach since I was 8, because I attended my first volleyball camp at UTB when he was head coach there,” Kingsbury said. “I was there for his 300th win and now it’s awesome to see him on his 500th. He’s very passionate about what he does and very passionate about who he recruits, and he wants to find that same passion in him and other people.”

She said he is like a father figure.

“He preaches about effort and attitude, and those are the two things that you can control as a player,” Kingsbury said. “He’s caring, he’s like a father figure to a lot of girls that are not from here, and for me he’s like my second dad. He’s just a great person overall, which leads him to be a good coach.”

Kingsbury and the team wish him “500 more.”

“It’s a nice number,” Lowery said last Thursday. “Now it’s 501.”

UTRGV faced New Mexico State University last Saturday and as of press time, results were unavailable. 

The Vaqueras will face off against Grand Canyon University 8 p.m. Thursday at the Fieldhouse.