Letitia Bowen Staff

A familiar face returned to the Notre Dame coaching staff in July 2002, when Letitia Bowen, a four-year starter with the Irish from 1991-95, was named assistant coach. She replaced Kevin McGuff, who left to become the head women[apos]s basketball coach at Xavier University.

Bowen, 29, joined the Notre Dame 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[apos]s basketball history, Bowen ranks second on the school[apos]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[apos]s 25-year history.

Bowen played on Notre Dame[apos]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 [apos]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 [apos]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[apos]s Invitation Tournament (NWIT).

Bowen earned her bachelor of business administration degree in accountancy 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 now resides in South Bend.