Ottawa University Coach, Katie Sowers, broke barriers in 2020 when she became the first woman to serve on an NFL coaching staff in a Super Bowl. She was honored recently at the Elizabeth Dole Lecture for her leadership in the athletic field. Before arriving at Ottawa, Sowers was an Offensive Assistant Coach with the San Francisco 49ers and made history becoming the first female coach on an NFL staff to coach in a Super Bowl. She told the audience that she knew from an early age, she wanted to be a coach, teacher or a counselor and one day, a light went off:
Sowers is in her third year as Director of Strategic Initiatives at OU . She also coached the 2021 and 2022 National Champion OU Women’s Flag Football team and now serves as the Director of Operations and Defensive Coordinator. As a result of her extensive career, she has a large influence in the sports world and uses it to open various doors of opportunity for women’s athletics.
