Upper Iowa University Athletics Hall of Fame
Marty McKowen, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and education, is being inducted into the Upper Iowa University Athletics Hall of Fame as a coach.
McKowen is entering his 30th year of coaching and teaching at Wapsie Valley High School. He has enjoyed a dominant basketball coaching career posting an overall record of 495 wins and 178 losses. McKowen’s boys’ basketball teams have made a remarkable six Iowa High School State Basketball Tournament appearances, highlighted by the second place finish of the 2003 team; the Warriors have also claimed two other third place finishes. McKowen’s teams have won nine conference titles and placed second eleven times.
McKowen had also been the coach of the girls’ track team at Wapsie Valley for 19 years collecting many individual State Champions along with numerous honors at the Drake Relays. He also coached baseball and volleyball for the Warriors at times over his 30 years. The former Peacock also served the school system as Athletic Director for 12 years. He was a four-year letter winner with the Peacock baseball team as a centerfielder and first baseman under Coach Bill Prochaska and also lettered three times in football.
McKowen has been honored by the Iowa High School Athletic Association and Iowa Basketball Coaches Association as his career progressed to 300 and then 400 victories. Eight of McKowen’s former high school basketball players have gone on to coach basketball at the collegiate level. A graduate of Washington High School in Washington, Iowa, McKowen excelled in four sports at the interscholastic level.
He lives in Fairbank, Iowa with his wife Martha, who is also a 1983 Upper Iowa alum. They have three children, who are all presently coaching, Jon, a 2002 UIU graduate, Brooks, and Brittany.
