Wyoming Names Clower As Cowgirl Tennis Head Coach

LARAMIE, Wyo. - Wyoming Athletics Director Tom Burman announced on Wednesday that Dean Clower, who has held the title of interim head tennis coach and was an assistant the previous four years, has been promoted to head coach of the Wyoming Cowgirl tennis program.

"We are pleased with the direction the program has headed under Coach Clower," said Burman. "He has been around the program, recruited some of our student-athletes and he should continue to take Wyoming tennis to the next level. The team has maintained their national ranking throughout the spring, posted a winning record and finished among the top in the league. We are confident that this is a good choice for the Wyoming tennis program."

Clower becomes the fifth head women's tennis coach in Cowgirl history. After taking over the program, he has led them to a 13-8 overall mark and a record of 5-2 in Mountain West play. They finished tied for second which is the highest finish ever for a Wyoming team. As a team, the Cowgirls have been ranked in the Campbell's/ITA national rankings every week since they started coming out on January 3, 2012. Their highest was the 56th spot on March 27th, which is a best in school history. Along with that, they have defeated three nationally ranked teams on the year and are currently ranked 60th. The doubles team of Veronica Popovici and Simona Synkova also won the ITA Mountain Regional Tournament in the fall, while earning a current spot of 55th in the rankings.

"I am very excited to have this opportunity given to me by our administration," said Clower. "I would also like to thank the players for handling the transition and all of their hard work this spring. Laramie and the University is a great fit for me and my family.

Clower came to Wyoming after two seasons as an assistant coach at Lamar University (Beaumont, Texas). His duties included assisting with practice sessions, on the court training of both singles and doubles teams, creating and maintaining data bases for prospective players, along with ensuring compliance with recruitment regulations. Prior to that, he spent one season as a volunteer assistant with the program and as an adjunct professor for kinesiology.

He also worked as an assistant teaching pro at The Greens Country Club in Oklahoma City (2002, 2004, 2007). Clower trained juniors players and was responsible for tournament travel and preparation for competition, while providing private and group lessons to juniors and adults. Prior to that, he worked at the Indian Springs Country Club in Broken Arrow, Okla.

Clower began his collegiate career as a student-athlete at Cowley County Community College in Arkansas City, Kan. He was a two-year team captain and was ranked fifth in the nation in doubles as a freshman and sophomore. Clower then moved on to a two-year career at Lamar University. He finished with a season-best 14-7 record in singles play and 9-9 in doubles at the number one spot as a junior. During his senior season, he posted a 9-10 overall record, 12-6 in doubles-play and a 48th ranking in NCAA Division I. He became the first player in school history to accomplish that feat.

A native of Broken Arrow, Okla., Clower earned a bachelor's of arts degree in general studies with a minor in history and kinesiology from Lamar University in 2006. He and his wife, Amanda, who is an assistant coach with the UW Track and Field Team, have a daughter Riley.

He replaced Kati Gyulai, who resigned in January to become the head coach at SMU.