Bill Bowes

Bio

The winningest head coach in Yankee Conference/Atlantic 10 and University of New Hampshire history, Bill Bowes guided the Wildcats to success and oversaw their transition to the FCS during 27 seasons as head coach from 1972-98. He becomes the first College Football Hall of Fame inductee (player or coach) from New Hampshire. Bowes became the youngest head coach in school history in 1972. He guided the Wildcats to four Yankee Conference championships, and he strung together eight straight winning seasons from 1974-81 and another nine consecutive winning campaigns from 1983-91. Bowes was named conference coach of the year in 1989 and 1994, and his teams qualified for the NCAA playoffs four times. Bowes’ honors include twice being named Kodak District I Coach of the Year, AFCA Region I Coach of the Year, New England Coach of the Year and Boston Gridiron Club Division I-AA Coach of the Year. During his tenure in Durham, he coached 1998 Walter Payton Award recipient Jerry Azumah, 12 All-Americans, 69 First Team All-Yankee Conference honorees and six First Team All-Atlantic 10 selections. He has received many awards for his service and contributions to the game, including the NFF New Hampshire Chapter’s Distinguished Contribution to Football Award, the George C. Carens Awards for contributions to New England football and the Eastern Intercollegiate Officials Association’s Murray Lewis Award for sportsmanship. In 1999, New Hampshire initiated the Bill Bowes Coaches Award, an annual honor presented to a Wildcat senior. The Blanchard, Pa., native was a team captain for College Football Hall of Fame coach Rip Engle’s 1964 Penn State team, and he was the recipient of the Penn State University Alumni Athlete Award in 2000. Following his graduation, Bowes served as a graduate assistant for one season at Penn State before two seasons as New Hampshire’s offensive line coach. He moved to Boston College with former Wildcat head coach Joe Yukica from 1968-71 before taking the reins at UNH.

Career Highlights

• 1994 AFCA District & Conference Coach of the Year
• 1989 Conference Coach of the Year
• 1976 AFCA District Coach of the Year
• 1975 AFCA District Coach of the Year