Bob Bowen

North Carolina Soccer Hall of Fame

Class of 2024

Bob Bowen

Bob Bowen dedicated over four decades to advancing soccer as a player, coach, referee, and administrator. His unwavering commitment to the game has profoundly impacted soccer in North Carolina and beyond.

Bob’s journey began as a standout goalkeeper at Winthrop University (1978–1982), where he earned All-American honors in 1981 for his exceptional performance. His legacy as a player was solidified with his induction into the Winthrop University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016.

After his playing career, Bob transitioned into coaching, achieving remarkable success at every level. Bob coached both junior high and high school teams in Charlotte until he became the first coach in the history of Providence High School. In that position from 1989-2004, he won three state championships (1992, 1995, 2000) and compiled a boys record of 280-63-19. He was awarded NCSCA's North Carolina Coach of the Year twice, in 1992 and 1997, and coached four All-Americans and twelve All-South players. Rival coaches often noted that their players had to be ready for a tough game against a well-coached and disciplined squad when they played Bob's teams. Following other career endeavors, Bob would later return to Providence as an assistant coach for several years. 

Following his retirement from the Charlotte Mecklenburg School System, he took his coaching expertise to South Carolina, where he started the women's program at Buford High School, compiling a 97-38-2 record, which is where he registered his 500th career coaching win and was named Regional Coach of the Year on three occasions. Bob also coached at the club level for multiple years, with stints at Charlotte United from 2009 to 2012 and Charlotte Independence from 2018 to 2020. Bob is now coaching at the collegiate level, having recently taken a position as an assistant coach with the University of South Carolina Lancaster Men’s and Women’s Soccer program in 2022. He also dedicates his time to coaching the Charlotte FC Unified Team as the goalkeeping coach.

While Bob was coaching at Providence, he also served as president of the North Carolina Soccer Coaches Association from 1989 to 1997. In this position, Bob worked relentlessly to promote high school soccer and grow the organization. Bob was inducted into the NCSCA Field of Honor for his work as a coach and administrator in 2013.

Finally, Bob has contributed to the game as a high school and college referee. He worked NCAA Division I and II men's and women's matches for fourteen years and continues to referee high school soccer games.

Bob Bowen’s lifelong dedication to soccer as a player, coach, administrator, and referee has profoundly influenced the sport’s growth and development. His contributions exemplify excellence, and his legacy will continue to inspire generations.