Lee University has lost an alum who came from South Georgia to earn a degree in history, but Earl Rowan, the University’s Hall of Famer, never returned to his home state to live. Instead during his first two years of college he began working for Lee’s initial basketball coach Hubert Black. He soon developed a close friendship with Dale Hughes, who was making a name for himself on the basketball court.
When Black stepped aside Hughes was named the head coach. He asked Rowan, who was finishing his final two years as a Lee student, to serve as the school’s director of intramural sports.
He would also be coaching the Lee Academy (high school) basketball team. He would be Hughes’ athletic assistant with the (then) Vikings basketball program.
Rowan graduated from Lee in 1966 with a degree in Christian education, and realized it was time for a fulltime job. He was hired to teach and coach basketball at East Cleveland Elementary School and then began his official career at Lee in 1975 as Coach Hughes’ assistant coach. While an assistant he is credited with starting and being the school’s first baseball and cross-country coach.
When Hughes resigned from the head basketball post, Rowan was promoted to head coach and athletic director. A position he held from 1978-1982. As one of the nation's youngest basketball coaches he posted a record of 123-96. He coached Lee to three 20+ winning seasons, four NCCAA District 5 Championships, one second-place finish in the NCCAA National Tournament (a defeat to Liberty University) and received three NCCAA District 5 Coach of the Year awards.
After departing from Lee, Rowan was reunited with Hughes at Bradley Central High School where Hughes was the principal. Rowan was the boys’ head basketball coach and teacher for 14 years. Even after retiring from coaching, he continued to teach part-time for several years.
Rowan married a Lee alum in 1985, Dr. Kathy Shankle-Rowan. She too was an educator, serving 34 years in various positions in the Cleveland City Schools.