During her five years at San Jose State, the team has broken almost every school record, won MPSF Conference Championships, and taken the team back to NCAA Regionals. Joanne was named MPSF Coach of the Year and Regional Coach of the year in 2022. The story for the 2023 season is still being written!
Besides helping her teams grow in their gymnastics, Joanne takes academics and growth as a person very seriously. Her teams continue to do well academically and the Beyond Sparta program has inspired many to get ready for the world outside of their sport. Helping young women find their voice and experience growth as a person, is the number one goal of this program. She recruits her staff and her team with very high standards, as people first, then with their skill sets. This has produced a culture of excellence and one that will continue to succeed.
From 2007 through 2016, Bowers was the head women’s gymnastics coach at the University of Washington during which time she returned that program to national prominence.
Prior to taking the helm at Washington, she spent nine years as an assistant coach at the University of Michigan (2001-2006) and Kent State University (1997-2001).
Bowers helped guide the Wolverines to a seventh-place finish at the 2006 NCAA Championships and during five seasons with the Wolverines, Michigan competed in the NCAA Championships five times and won four Big Ten Championships. In Ann Arbor, she coached six individual All-Americans on beam and seven on floor. In addition, she tutored individuals to Big Ten Championships on beam and floor four times during her tenure.
Joanne Bowers By the Numbers (1989-2016)
1 – Pac-12 Coach of the Year (2007)
1 – West Region Coach of the Year (2009)
1 – Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year (2001)
1 – Coached 2000 USA Olympic Gymnastics Team captain Elise Ray
2 – CoSIDA Academic All-District IV student-athletes
5 – Conference championships
8 – Individual conference champions
17 – West Regional Championship team appearances
13 – All-Americans
20– Years as a Division I head coach
29 – Years as a Division I coach
43 – All-conference honorees
95 – Academic all-conference honorees
What people are saying about Joanne Bowers:
"Joanne is not only a great coach, she is a wonderful person. She is genuine and has her priorities in order. Her athletes come first. She has a big picture prospective and will produce a highly successful program by developing a strong culture, and recruiting athletes with the right values and work ethic both in the gym and in the classroom."
Beverly Plocki, Head Women's Gymnastics Coach, University of Michigan
"I'm absolutely thrilled for Joanne. She is one of the best and purest people I know both as a coach and a mentor. She'll be an inspiration for the gymnasts at San José State and I'm really excited for her, the student-athletes and the university. You've got a winner."
Brice Biggin, Head Women's Gymnastics Coach, Kent State University
"As a proud Spartan alum, I am excited about the hiring of Joanne Bowers. Joanne brings a wealth of coaching experience from many conferences including the PAC-12, and I am excited to see the new heights that SJSU gymnastics will reach under her guidance."
Justin Howell, Head Women's Gymnastics Coach, University of California
"We are happy to see Joanne get back to collegiate coaching. She is a tremendous coach that cares deeply about the student-athlete experience."
Jennifer Cohen, Athletics Director, USC, former AD at Washignton
