July 18, 2002
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – University of Notre Dame head women’s basketball coach Muffet McGraw announced Thursday that Letitia Bowen, a four-year starter with the Irish from 1991-95, has been named assistant coach. She replaces Kevin McGuff, who left Notre Dame in June to become the head women’s basketball coach at Xavier University.
“I’m elated to have Letitia back in our program,” McGraw said. “She has been a major contributor for years and she understands where we are headed. She helped build this program when she was a player, and I’m confident she will continue to do the same as a coach. She has a tremendous work ethic and brings a lot of intangibles to the table, things which will only strengthen us as a team.”
“I’m really excited and thankful for the opportunity to work with Coach McGraw and the rest of the staff,” Bowen said. “I’ve always felt part of the Notre Dame family and want to see this program succeed and excel. I feel fortunate and blessed to have been part of so much success in the past, and I look forward to being part of much more success in the future.”
Bowen, 29, joins the Notre Dame coaching staff for a second time, having previously spent three seasons as an assistant coach (1996-99) and two seasons as director of basketball operations (1999-2001). During her five-year tenure, the Irish advanced to the NCAA Tournament each season, winning the 2001 national championship and reaching the 1997 Final Four.
One of the most dominant post players in Notre Dame women’s basketball history, Bowen ranks second on the school’s career rebounding (999) and rebound average (8.8) lists, eighth on its career blocked shots ledger (76), and 13th on its all-time scoring chart (1,205). She averaged 10.7 points per game and started 102 contests in her career, ranking seventh in school history in the latter category. She also led the Irish in rebounding three consecutive seasons, twice averaging better than nine boards per game. In fact, her sophomore ratio of 9.8 rpg. remains the third-highest single-season mark in the program’s 25-year history.
Bowen played on Notre Dame’s first two NCAA tournament teams in 1992 and 1994. She also helped the Irish claim back-to-back Midwestern Collegiate Conference regular-season titles in 1993-94 and 1994-95, as well as MCC Tournament championships in 1992 and 1994. In ’93-94, she earned first-team all-conference honors and was a member of the MCC all-tournament team. As the lone senior and co-captain on the ’94-95 squad, Bowen was named the Notre Dame National Monogram Club MVP after averaging a career-high 10.1 ppg., and 8.4 rpg. while leading the Irish to a third-place finish at the National Women’s Invitation Tournament (NWIT).
Bowen earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting from Notre Dame in May of 1995. She went on to play professionally in Italy before a knee injury cut short her career. A native of Buchanan, Mich., Bowen will reside in South Bend.
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