Community Corner
Former Roadrunner Leads Alma Mater to Six Championship Wins
Deptford Twp. – Gloucester County College Assistant Athletic Director Brian Rowan is no stranger to success in the ways of coaching collegiate tennis.
Since joining the college in 2008, he has guided both the men’s and women’s programs to six NJCAA National Championship titles. In fall 2013, the lady Roadrunners captured their second consecutive cup, taking a 17-point lead over runner-ups the Fashion Institute of New York and Rocky Valley College of Illinois. The team won five of six singles flights as well as swept all the doubles matches.
Even more impressive, the men’s program has won every NJCAA National Championship dating back to 2010. New and returning players now have their sights set on a fifth title in the spring to carry on GCC’s legacy.
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“Teams at this level can turn around real quick,” said Rowan. “Three years ago the women’s team took fourth in the Region XIX tournament and just missed going to nationals. You can never assume that, because you won last year, you’ll do it again this year.”
Rowan has coached an impressive 25 NJCAA Individual National Champions and even more All-American athletes. His efforts prompted an assortment of coaching accolades, including the Max Grubbs National Tennis Coach of the Year and NJCAA Region XIX Coach of the Year on more than one occasion.
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He attributes his triumphs to an aggressive recruitment strategy and commitment to his players. Furthermore, Rowan is an accomplished tennis athlete who competed at the college level as a Roadrunner himself.
“I was not nearly this good in high school. Coach Rowan taught me new aspects of the game that I never thought of before,” said captain Tori Yeich, the 2013 third-flight singles national champion.
“Coach Rowan pushes you to work toward your full potential, and he is great at seeing the potential in his players,” said co-captain Terra McHenry, who claimed top prize in first-doubles along with partner Vicky Russell. “He’s tough but it’s worth it in the end.”
Gloucester County College’s 250-acre campus is located at 1400 Tanyard Road in Deptford, right off Exit 56 of Route 55.
