Staff report
CONCORD — Jan Dowling is officially back.
Cox Mill has announced that Dowling will be the school’s new head volleyball coach.
Dowling is a West Rowan graduate. She was a multi-sport athlete for the Falcons and played volleyball at Western Carolina from 1992-96.
She started her volleyball coaching career at Anson County and returned to Rowan as the head coach at South Rowan and had a long, solid run there as the Raiders transitioned from being a 4A school to being a smaller school after Carson opened.
She was an intense coach who demanded focus and effort and occasionally snapped a clipboard, but it was tough-love coaching that brought out the best in her players.
After getting a chance to coach and teach at West Rowan, she returned to her roots. She had a fantastic run there as the Falcons rose from non-factor to being a state contender in 3A. Dowling had a chance to coach Tori Hester, arguably the best player in Rowan history, and other exceptional players including her daughter, KK Dowling, Catawba star Kelcie Love and NCHSAA Athlete of the Year Emma Clarke.
West was 28-1 in 2019 and reached the regional final, and Dowling was named the North Carolina Volleyball Coaches Association Coach of the Year.
Dowling was 164-61 during her time at West.
Dowling has also coached track and field, tennis, softball and basketball during her time in the school system, and she has coached club volleyball.
She announced her retirement from West after an 18-8 season in 2023 and suffered life-threatening injuries in a motorcycle accident shortly after that.
She’s regained her health and is eager to coach again. She has coached 28 seasons of high school volleyball.
West Rowan coach Tiffany Brooks is part of Dowling’s coaching tree, as is Nicole Barringer, who is the head coach at Lenoir-Rhyne.
Dowling will take over a stout Cox Mill program that was 21-4 last season.
Former Salisbury High administrator and coach Chris Myers is the principal at Cox Mill. Former Salisbury and North Rowan boys basketball coach Jason Causby is also headed to Cox Mill, where former Rowan County AD Brad Hinson is the athletic director.
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