Bowen Selected To Hall Of Fame And Named SCSU Interim Coach
Softball may be out of season but for Kate Bowen all things softball have been in full swing. The former Newtown High School standout/conference champion softball player was named to the Connecticut Scholastic & Collegiate Softball Hall of Fame and has settled in to her new role as interim head coach at Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) in New Haven this fall.
Bowen, who led Newtown to the 2010 South-West Conference title during an undefeated run, was inducted into the Hall of Fame at the Aqua Turf Club in Plantsville. Some special guests were on hand to take part in the ceremony and support Bowen. CIAC Associate Executive Director Gregg Simon, who was the NHS athletic director during Bowen’s high school playing days, along with current AD Matt Memoli, Bowen’s former NHS coaches Bob Guerrera and Lin Hertberg, former Springfield player and current NHS Coach Megan Goyda, and her NHS batterymate Ashley Kuligowski were all there to take part.
“It was pretty special to me,” Bowen said.
After all, the softball player-turned-coach has some fond memories of competing here in town.
“I absolutely loved my time at Newtown High playing for Coach Guerrera and Coach Hertberg,” Bowen said.
Bowen went on to compete in college and play professionally for the Stratford Brakettes before starting her coaching career at Springfield College in Massachusetts.
Bowen was a four-year starter at NCAA Division I Manhattan College where she was a three-time All-MAAC selection, a NFCA First Team All-Northeast Region selection and a two-time Manhattan College Female Student-Athlete of the Year. She graduated as the program record holder in at-bats and ranked in the top three in hits, doubles, runs scored and games played while hitting .340 in her career.
Following her collegiate playing career, she went on to play for the Brakettes from 2011 through 2013 as a pitcher and outfielder. She helped the Brakettes to three-straight Major Softball National Championships as well as the USSSA Women’s Fastpitch World Series Championship in 2013. In 2012 she won the Major Softball National Championship Diane Schumacher Batting Title.
Bowen graduated from Manhattan College in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in physical education with a minor in adapted physical education. She earned a master’s degree in physical education with a concentration in athletic administration from Springfield in 2017 and is pursuing a doctoral degree in educational leadership from Springfield.
In eight seasons at Springfield, Bowen coached three All-Americans, 12 All-Region selections, three Players of the Year, one Pitcher of the Year and a Rookie of the Year. Additionally, her teams have featured 23 All-NEWMAC First and Second team selections as well as 86 NEWMAC Academic All-Conference honorees.
Bowen compiled an overall record of 180-88-1 for a .697 winning percentage. In 2017, her first season as Springfield’s interim head coach, Bowen was named the ECAC Division III New England and NEWMAC Softball Coach of the Year. This past season, she guided Springfield to the NEWMAC Regular-Season Championship — the program’s first since 2013 — and earned Coach of the Year honors.
“Kate Bowen is a highly respected coach with experience in athletic administration,” SCSU Director of Athletics & Recreation Terrance Jones said. “We’re ecstatic to bring someone of Kate’s caliber to Southern to guide our softball student-athletes. She replaces current head coach Jill Rispoli, who has done an admirable job as the Owls’ head coach for the last 10 years and we wish her the best of luck.”
A significant change for Bowen is that she will exclusively work as a softball coach. At Springfield Bowen taught a wellness course as well as an honors course on Title IV and served on research committees.
Bowen makes a step up from Division III Springfield to the D-II Owls and is looking forward to guiding the Owls against tough competition in the Northeast 10 Conference.
“And I was pretty excited to come back to softball in Connecticut,” Bowen added.
Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.