Lisa Bowerman

Bio

Lisa Bowerman became the new head coach of the TWU gymnastics program following Frank Kudlac’s retirement after 33 years on May 31, 2011.

A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Bowerman is a veteran member of the Texas Woman’s University athletics staff. Prior to moving into her current position, she served one season as the associate head coach (2011), three seasons (2008-10) as the team’s assistant coach and three seasons (2005-07) as the graduate assistant coach.

Bowerman has played an instrumental role in the Pioneers’ recent success. She helped coach the team to the Midwest Independent Conference (MIC) Championship in 2006 and 2010. Her leadership also helped the Pioneers claim their eighth and ninth USA Gymnastics (USAG) Collegiate National Championships in 2006 and 2008, respectively. Bowerman has also guided three TWU beam workers to USAG Collegiate National Titles on beam - Courtney Arno (Templet) in 2006 and 2008, Rachel Zimmerman in 2007, and Brittany Johnson in 2010.

Bowerman’s list of coaching accolades is also extensive. She was tabbed as the 2011 NCAA Division II Assistant Coach of the Year. She also earned the 2008 USAG Collegiate Assistant Coach of the Year and MIC Assistant Coach of the Year honors in 2007, 2010 and 2011.

Before coming to TWU, Bowerman enjoyed an outstanding gymnastics career at Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois. As a freshman in 2001, she was an integral part of an ISU team that advanced all the way to the NCAA Regionals. After a knee injury sidelined her for the entirety of the 2002 season, she returned to the competition floor and qualified as an individual on beam for the 2003 NCAA Regionals. In 2004, her senior season, she served as the Redbirds’ team captain and once again qualified as an NCAA regional competitor on beam. Bowerman earned a place in the Illinois State record book when she set (and still holds) the Illinois State beam and floor records with scores of 9.95 on both events.

Bowerman got her start in gymnastics at GymQuarters in O’Fallon, Missouri where she trained under the direction of Scott Cusimano, who, ironically enough, was the TWU gymnastics assistant coach from 1979-1983.

Bowerman made her initial foray into coaching as Illinois State’s student assistant coach in the fall of 2004. She graduated with honors and received her Bachelor of Science degree from Illinois State in December 2004. In May 2008, she received her Master of Science degree in Exercise and Sports Nutrition from TWU.

Bowerman lives in Denton with her husband Jeff, their son Austin, and their world famous kitten collection, Eckster P. Paws and Leja P. Paws.