Drury University Athletics

Barb Cowherd has served Drury University for nearly 40 years and was brought out of retirement by Vice President & Director of Athletics Nyla Milleson in March of 2022 to return to the office as the Associate Athletic Director & Senior Woman Administrator. 

Cowherd will be inducted into the Springfield Area Sports Hall of Fame in October of 2023 adding to numerous accolades she has received during her career. She was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2016 and was placed into the Drury Athletics Hall of Fame in 2019. 
 
Cowherd began her stint at Drury as the head volleyball coach in 1980 and guided the program until 1999 compiling a record of 487-354-17. Cowherd was named the NAIA District 16 Coach of the Year in 1988 following their 43-11 season and led the volleyball program from the AIAW to the NAIA and then the NCAA-II level in the mid-1990’s. Cowherd also had a four stint as Drury’s head women’s tennis coach from 1981 to 1984 and guided the team to three NAIA national tournament appearances.

In 1999, she became an Assistant Athletic Director and Senior Women’s Administrator. She was named Associate Athletic Director in 2003.
 
As Drury’s Senior Woman Administrator, Cowherd was instrumental in the start of the Lady Panthers basketball program that launched in 2000-2001 and has seen the program sustain national prominence since its inception. Drury Athletics has grown women’s sports from two teams when Cowherd started in 1980 to 10 NCAA-II programs, four non-NCAA sports as well as opportunities in wrestling, hockey, bass fishing and shotgun sports as each of those sports has had women student-athletes on their rosters.
 
Cowherd aided in the design and transition into the $13.5 million O’Reilly Family Event Center that opened in 2010 and managed the transition of season ticket holders and seat selection in addition to handling internal operations, budgetary oversight and event management.
 
She has served on regional and national ranking committees within the NAIA and NCAA D-II, and as a tournament director for a variety of sport championships over the years.
 
A graduate of East Newton High School, Cowherd became a multi-sport athlete at Missouri Southern State playing volleyball, basketball, softball and track & field. She was a four-year letter winner and co-captain in volleyball. Cowherd was a two time All-Central States Intercollegiate Conference (CSIC) selection in basketball, and a national qualifier in the javelin as a senior in 1979. She also was named MSSC’s Outstanding Female Student-Athlete as a junior and was the outstanding senior volleyball player. In 1993, Cowherd was inducted into the Missouri Southern State Athletics Hall of Fame.
 
In addition to her degree from Missouri Southern State, Cowherd has a Master’s degree from Pittsburg State.
 
She and her husband Gene reside on their farm in Purdy, Missouri.