Kim McGowan enters her second season as head soccer coach in 2023 after being named the third head coach in program history, Dec. 13, 2021.

McGowan led Austin Peay to three wins and six draws during its inaugural season as a member of the ASUN Conference. She earned her first win against UT Martin, Aug. 31, 2022, after defeating the Skyhawks, 2-0. She then led the program to its first-ever ASUN Conference victory against North Alabama, Sept. 25, 2021.

During her first season at the helm, Austin Peay fired 100 more shots and 49 more shots on goal than in 2021 while also increasing its number of goalscorers from seven to nine and its point-getter tally from 10 to 12.

McGowan helped Alec Baumgardt post one of the best offensive seasons by an ASUN midfielder with four goals, 15 shots on goal and 31 shots. Baumgardt’s four goals were 10th in the ASUN and fifth among its midfielders, while her 31 shots were 16th in the conference and fourth among the league’s midfielders. 

Defensively, the Governors posted six shutouts in McGowan’s first season and allowed five fewer goals, 31 less shots on goal, and 50 less shots than in 2021 despite playing one more match.

McGowan coached senior goalkeeper Chloé Dion to the best season of her career with 62 saves – the most by a Gov in eight years. Dion’s six shutouts were the fourth most by a goalkeeper in a single season and her 1.18 goal-against average was the seventh-best mark in program history.

McGowan comes to Clarksville after spending four seasons (2018-21) at Miami (Ohio), where she served as an assistant coach for three years before being promoted to associate head coach in May 2021.

In her first three seasons in Oxford, McGowan helped the RedHawks improve their regular-season and conference winning percentage each year while guiding five players to Mid-American Conference All-Freshman Team honors.

During the 2020 season, which was played during spring 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, McGowan coached Desiree Grubbs and Camber Hayes to Second Team All-MAC honors, with Hayes and Haley Anspach also picking up All-Freshman Team recognition.

After becoming the associate head coach prior to the 2021 season, McGowan helped guide Miami to an 8-8-3 mark overall and a 5-6-0 mark in conference play – the program's best regular-season and conference win totals since 2016. The 2021 season also saw the RedHawks find the back of the net 26 times and record six shutouts – the program's best single-season marks in both statistics since 2014 and 2016, respectively.

Following the 2021 season, McGowan helped Kristina DeMarco and Hayes to Second Team All-MAC selections, while Kylee Beinecke and Makenna Morrison earned All-Freshman Team honors.

Prior to her time at Miami, McGowan spent a season (2017) as head coach at Thomas More College, where she led the Saints to a 15-5-1 record, a Presidents' Athletic Conference Championship, and a PAC Tournament Championship. With three All-PAC selections and two United Soccer Coaches Association All-Region players, she also led Thomas More to the 2017 NCAA Division III Tournament.

McGowan got her first head coaching position at Division III Olivet College, where she led the Comets to a 19-16-4 record in two seasons (2015-16). In McGowan's first season at the helm, Olivet went 11-6-3 and qualified for the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Tournament for the first time in five years. The Comets also set the program record for the fewest goals allowed (21) in McGowan's first season.

McGowan's first season at Olivet saw Isabelle Leon earn Third Team National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-Central Region honors and Madeline Maxwell earn First Team CoSIDA Academic All-District recognition.

The Comets went 8-10-1 and finished in sixth place in the MIAA during McGowan's second season as a head coach. Following the 2016 season, Leon earned Third Team CoSIDA Academic All-America honors. In two seasons at Olivet, McGowan coached three First Team and three Second Team All-MIAA players.

McGowan spent the 2014 season as an assistant coach at Division III Hiram College, where the Terriers had a program-record five All-North Coast Athletic Conference selections in her lone season. McGowan began her collegiate coaching career as an assistant coach at Agnes Scott College, where she spent two seasons (2012-13), helping the Scotties win the 2012 Great South Conference Tournament Championship and advance to the NCAA Division III Tournament.

McGowan also has experience as an assistant coach with the US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program. She holds a NSCAA Premier Diploma (2016), a NSCAA Goal Keeping Level 1, 2, and 3 (2017), and an USSF Senior "A" License (2021). While working at Olivet College in 2016, McGowan was also named to the NSCAA – now the United Soccer Coaches – 30 Under 30 program.

A native of Cincinnati, McGowan played four years of college soccer at Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio. McGowan also played a season of junior varsity basketball and a season of golf for the Polar Bears.

McGowan graduated from Ohio Northern with a bachelor of arts in sports management in 2012. She earned a master of science in sports administration from Georgia State University in December 2013.

McGowan’s Coaching Career

Austin Peay (2022-Pres.) – Head Coach

Miami (OH) (2018-21) – Assistant Coach (2018-20), Associate Head Coach (2021)

Thomas Moore (2017) – Head Coach

Olivet (2015-16) – Head Coach

Hiram (2014) – Assistant Coach

Agnes Scott (2012-1413 – Assistant Coach

McGowan’s Playing Career

Ohio Northern (2008-12)