Clarksville, Ark.- Charlotte Fowler has been promoted to the head women's wrestling coaching position, it was announced by athletic director Jimmy Clark on Tuesday (September 13).
     
Prior to her promotion, Fowler served as the assistant coach since January of 2021.  With Fowler as the assistant coach last season, the program placed seventh at the National Collegiate Women's Wrestling Championship (NCWWC) Regional in just its second year of existence. It was a year of firsts for Fowler and the Eagles last season as the program recorded its first home and road win, its first win at regionals and its first placement at regionals. 
     
"I have full confidence in Charlotte's ability not only to lead this program, but to make it flourish," said Clark. "I am excited to see where this program can go. She has many of the attributes it takes to be a great coach and I believe this program will only get better under her leadership. We are fortunate to have such a dynamic leader who is still a very successful wrestler. She is well-known and respected among the women's wrestling community."
     
A native of Texas, Fowler was a team captain and a three-time Women's Collegiate Wrestling Association (WCWA) All-American at Campbellsville University in Kentucky. She helped Campbellsville to WCWA national championships in 2018, 2020 and 2021.
     
"I'm excited for the opportunity and grateful to be able to lead this group of women," said Fowler. "I'm excited to give them the opportunity to receive an education and advance their wrestling careers. I think it is very empowering for women to wrestle, and I think it gives women a sense of confidence and self-awareness. I want these student-athletes to become productive women in society. I want the program to be known as leaders on campus and always willing to help."
     
Fowler feels privileged to be able to coach collegiately the sport that has given her so much. She is now among the few female head coaches in women's collegiate wrestling.
     
"I love sharing the sport," she said. "It has done a lot for me. I believe our sport prepares women to face any adversity in life. It helps women become leaders because of the challenging situations that wrestling puts you in. You learn to overcome and get back up when you get pushed down. In creates stronger, more powerful women going out into the world. It is a sport that empowers women."
     
Entering the 2022-23 season, Fowler helped build the largest roster in program history thanks to the many benefits Ozarks offers.
     
"Our university pursues the student who normally wouldn't have the opportunity to attend college," she said. "And I think that is really special. We have so many resources on campus to help with academics and mental health all while allowing the athlete to improve in the sport. The student-athletes have these resources at their fingertips. As a coach, I don't want our women to get burned out, so my approach is that the sport doesn't have to be difficult all the time to the extent that they are not enjoying it."
     
During her wrestling career, Fowler has qualified for the Olympic Team Trials, competed at the Senior World Team Trials and finished third at the US Open. Fowler graduated from Campbellsville in 2020 with a degree in business administration.