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Brandon Rowan enters his second season as an assistant coach, serving as pitching coach for the Panthers. He also assists with the Panther's recruiting efforts as well as team travel arrangements.
"I am very pleased to have a coach of Brandon's character and experience on our staff," said head coach Joe Jordano. "I feel his pitching background and the fact that he has some years as a head coach brings a great deal to not only our pitching staff, but to our program as a whole."
Under Rowan's leadership last season, pitcher Corey Baker earned Big East Pitcher of the Week for his performance during the opening weekend of conference play. Baker hurled a complete game five hit shutout against the University of Cincinnati. In addition, pitcher Nate Reed was selected by the Chicago White Sox in the 20th round of the Major League Baseball Draft.
Rowan joined the Panthers' coaching staff after two seasons as head baseball coach at Crichton College in Memphis, Tenn. While at the helm of the Comets, he led his team to its first ever birth in an NAIA regional. The Comets advanced to the Region XI tournament after finishing third in the Transouth Conference tournament. His 2007 Crichton club led the conference in batting average (.353) as well as team defense (.964). While at Crichton, he coached 10 All-Transouth Conference selections and 1 All- Region XI member. Three of his former players went on to play professional baseball.
Prior to becoming head coach, Rowan served as an assistant at Crichton for one season. His responsibilities included serving as pitching coach, scouting opponents, handling team travel arrangements, and recruiting coordinator. Under his leadership, the 2006 Crichton pitching staff finished among the league leaders in team ERA (4.65).
Rowan has five years of collegiate baseball experience and three years of division one playing experience as a member of the pitching staff with the University of Memphis Tigers. Pitching in a variety of roles for the Tigers, he was selected team captain his senior season. In his first season with the Tigers he lead all pitchers with a 3.63 ERA. He also ranked second in innings pitched and strikeouts.
Before joining the Tigers, Rowan played two seasons at Northwest Mississippi Community College where he was an MACJC All-State honoree as a pitcher and outfielder. During his final season, he finished seventh in the country among pitchers with a 2.20 ERA while sporting a 7-1 record on the mound for the Rangers. Northwest advanced to the State and Region 23 tournaments that year after winning the MACJC North Division. For his work in the classroom, he was named NJCAA Distinguished Academic All-American.
A three sport standout in high school, Rowan earned 11 letters in baseball, basketball, and football at Senatobia High School in Senatobia, Mississippi. He was an All-Conference performer in each sport while garnering All-State accolades in baseball as a senior. He was also selected to play in the Mississippi High School Activities Association All-Star Classic following his senior season.
Rowan graduated Cum Laude from Memphis in 2004 with a Marketing Management degree. He was named to the Conference USA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll three times, was a member of the Golden Key National Honor Society, Phi Kappa Phi, and the Tiger 3.0 Club.
Rowan, 28, resides in Pittsburgh.
