Marilyn Bowman (2015) - Hall of Fame - University of Akron Athletics

Marilyn Bowman

Induction:
2015
Class:
1969

1979-2013
Athletics Trainer
Bachelor's 1969 | Master's 1987

During her 29-year career, Marilyn Bowman was a trailblazer in the field of athletic training who demonstrated a long and consistent commitment to excellence. She had a strong dedication to promoting equal opportunities for all students, but encouraged female growth in an early male-dominated profession.

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A native of Seattle, Wash., Bowman attended Washington State University for two years, relocated to Akron due to her husband’s job, and enrolled at UA to earn her degree in education in 1969. While raising her daughter, Nicole, and son, Brad, both UA graduates, Bowman returned to UA in 1979 to teach exercise and tennis part-time in the evening.

In 1983, UA athletic trainer Don Marshall influenced her into taking classes in sports medicine and in 1985, she was selected as a graduate assistant in athletic training. Bowman obtained her master’s in education in May 1987 and two months later she passed the National Athletic Trainers Association certification test and became both nationally certified and state licensed to practice athletic training. On September 1, 1987, athletic director Jim Dennison hired Bowman as the first full-time female as an assistant athletic trainer with the primary responsibility of providing good health and injury care to the men’s soccer, women’s basketball, softball, and volleyball teams.

In 1993, after being involved in all phases of the sports medicine operation, Bowman was promoted to head athletic trainer, becoming only the second woman in NCAA Division I history to hold the title (Arizona State was the first). In addition to the responsibility for annually providing health and injury care for nearly 400 student-athletes, she was the curriculum director of the athletic training program, teaching both graduate and undergraduate levels. The number of athletic training students grew to such a degree that a new curriculum director was hired in 1998 and a year later came under the supervision of the School of Sport Science & Wellness Education.

In 1999, Bowman, who worked under seven fulltime and three interim athletic directors, was promoted to Director of Sports Medicine by Dennis Helsel. During the next 13 ½ years, Bowman grew the athletic training staff from two fulltime, one part-time, and one graduate assistant to seven fulltime certified trainers, five certified graduate assistants and 25 to 30 student trainers. She implemented many new policies and procedures with physician coverage for every athletic event and collaborated with Children’s Hospital Orthopedic Department and the UA Health Services to provide daily examinations of injured athletes. In addition, Bowman promoted community outreach, such as promoting discussion on concussions and visitations of the athletic training facilities by interested area high school students.

Before retiring in April 2013, Bowman influenced with confidence, compassion, and class, a great many students and professionals as a teacher, mentor, friend, counselor, or boss. Bowman, however, is most proud of the legacy she left to continue UA’s athletic training excellence that includes current staff members Bill Droddy, Director of Sports Medicine, assistant athletic trainers Mark Leffler, Mark Lake, Andy Medved, and John Walters, as well as Stacey Buser, Director of Curriculum in Sports Sciences.

Marilyn K. Bowman joins her husband, Ken MacDonald, UA’s former sports information director, as the lone husband-wife inductees in the Hall of Fame.