July 2, 2015

COLUMBIA, S.C. — University of South Carolina women’s basketball head coach Dawn Staley announced today the hiring of Katie Fowler as her program’s sports performance coach. Fowler has worked with college student-athletes for the last four years in addition to her two years in the private sector.

“We are truly fortunate to add Katie to our Gamecock family,” Staley said. “She brings a wealth of talent, experience and energy to our strength and conditioning program. We look forward to her teaching our players the importance of fitness in regard to their sport and lifestyle.”

Fowler joins the Gamecocks after spending the last three seasons as the assistant director for basketball performance at the University of Maryland, where she worked with women’s basketball and helped the Terrapins to the NCAA Sweet 16 (2013) and two NCAA Final Fours (2014, 2015) in addition to continuing to work with Maryland alumnae playing in the WNBA. She began working in college athletics at the University of Virginia as part of the sports performance staff, which was directed by former Gamecock strength and conditioning coach Mike Curtis, spending one season (2011-12) working with the Cavaliers’ men’s and women’s basketball teams.

A four-year member of the women’s basketball team at Truman State University, Fowler received her master’s degree from the University of Washington in 2009. A career that began as a graduate assistant strength and conditioning coach at Iowa State includes one season as an assistant women’s basketball coach at University of Illinois-Springfield and two years as a personal trainer before she joined the University of Virginia sports performance staff.

“I am extremely excited about the opportunity to come to South Carolina and work with this staff and players, who are so focused on winning at the highest level,” Fowler said. “I look forward to being part of a team in the best women’s basketball conference and that plays in front of the best fan base in the game. The staff and administration have been extremely supportive in my transition, and I look forward to helping build on the amazing foundation and culture here at South Carolina.”

Fowler is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. She also holds Level 1 certifications in precision nutrition and fascial stretch therapy.