Episode 7: Episode 7: Abby Owings

Abby Owings grew up in Independence, Kentucky where she attended and played basketball at Simon Kenton High School. Her head coach Jeff Stowers (https://nkunorse.com/hof.aspx?hof=7) was a Hall of Fame basketball player at Northern Kentucky University. Stowers took over a struggling program that has become a perennial contender for the 8th Region title by the time Abby became the staring point guard as a freshman in 2010-11.
Abby credits Simon Kenton assistant coach Loretta Olmstead with helping Abby and her family through the recruiting process. She also talks about playing grass roots basketball for coach Buddy Pittman in the Shining Stars program.
Abby chooses to play college basketball at Thomas More University (https://www.thomasmoresaints.com/sports/wbkb/index) for head coach Jeff Hans (https://www.thomasmoresaints.com/sports/wbkb/coaches/Hans_Jeff?view=bio). She becomes the starting point guard her freshman year and the team goes 33-0 winning the 2015 NCAA D-III National Championship. (Note: That title was later vacated.)
Just before her sophomore season is about to start, Abby’s mom loses her five year battle with cancer. It’s a tough time in her life but the only child knew that watching Abby play basketball gave her mom joy during her fight with the illness.
Thomas More continues to dominate the D-III ranks in Abby’s sophomore season. The Saints already have Sydney Moss (https://www.thomasmoresaints.com/sports/wbkb/2020-21/releases/20200818ic3pyv), the nation’s best player along with Abby and a great supporting cast. Now they have added a 5’11” guard Madison Temple (https://www.thomasmoresaints.com/sports/wbkb/2018-19/bios/temple_madison_nvgi) and are even better in 2015-16. This leads to a second straight undefeated season and national championship.
With Moss now graduated Abby is moved to the shooting guard position her junior and is the featured offensive option. The team flourishes once again and is undefeated going into the NCAA tournament. The Saints hosts the first weekend regionals but are upset by Hope College. It’s the first loss in Abby’s career and she takes it hard.
Abby and her team use the loss as motivation going into her senior season. Abby returns to point guard and teams up with Temple and post player Nikki Kiernan (https://www.thomasmoresaints.com/sports/wbkb/2017-18/bios/kiernan_nikki_xi48) to make another deep run. Thomas More returns to the Final Four in Rochester, Minnesota but lose in the national semifinals to Amherst ending Abby’s college career.
To summarize her career, Abby was a three-time All-American, 2017 PAC Player of the Year, appeared in three Final Fours and won two National Championships.
With her playing career over there is no question in Abby’s mind what she wants to do upon graduation. She is determined to become a college coach and begins that journey as a graduate assistant at Morehead State University.
She moves onto Shawnee State where coincidentally her new team is in the same conference as her alma matter Thomas More. As a side note the Bears come to Crestview Hills and snap the Saints nine-year regular season conference winning streak. Abby admits before the game it was the most nervous she had ever been preparing for a game.
In the late spring of 2020 she is hired to be an assistant coach at Bellarmine University (https://athletics.bellarmine.edu/sports/womens-basketball) on head coach Chancellor Dugan’s (https://athletics.bellarmine.edu/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/chancellor-dugan/959) staff. Bellarmine was going into Division-I after many years of success in Division-II and the Great Lakes Valley Conference.
In the summer of 2020 Abby is named to the NCAA D-III All-Decade Team (https://www.thomasmoresaints.com/sports/wbkb/2019-20/releases/20200727gine63). This accolade is made special for Abby because she is joined for that honor with her teammates Sydney Moss and Madison Temple.
You can follow Abby on Twitter @CoachAbbyO (https://twitter.com/CoachAbbyO)
You can follow Brady Laber on Twitter @BradyLaber1 (https://twitter.com/BradyLaber1) please use the hashtag #NobodysSafe
Check out the Nobody’s Safe website at nobodysssafe.fireside.fm (https://nobodysssafe.fireside.fm)
For more information on Stove Leg Media go the website StoveLeg.com (https://www.stoveleg.com) or send an email to [email protected]
Intro music for the podcast was provided by bensoud.com (https://www.bensound.com)

Abby Owings grew up in Independence, Kentucky where she attended and played basketball at Simon Kenton High School. Her head coach Jeff Stowers was a Hall of Fame basketball player at Northern Kentucky University. Stowers took over a struggling program that has become a perennial contender for the 8th Region title by the time Abby became the staring point guard as a freshman in 2010-11.

Abby credits Simon Kenton assistant coach Loretta Olmstead with helping Abby and her family through the recruiting process. She also talks about playing grass roots basketball for coach Buddy Pittman in the Shining Stars program.

Abby chooses to play college basketball at Thomas More University for head coach Jeff Hans. She becomes the starting point guard her freshman year and the team goes 33-0 winning the 2015 NCAA D-III National Championship. (Note: That title was later vacated.)

Just before her sophomore season is about to start, Abby’s mom loses her five year battle with cancer. It’s a tough time in her life but the only child knew that watching Abby play basketball gave her mom joy during her fight with the illness.

Thomas More continues to dominate the D-III ranks in Abby’s sophomore season. The Saints already have Sydney Moss, the nation’s best player along with Abby and a great supporting cast. Now they have added a 5’11” guard Madison Temple and are even better in 2015-16. This leads to a second straight undefeated season and national championship.

With Moss now graduated Abby is moved to the shooting guard position her junior and is the featured offensive option. The team flourishes once again and is undefeated going into the NCAA tournament. The Saints hosts the first weekend regionals but are upset by Hope College. It’s the first loss in Abby’s career and she takes it hard.

Abby and her team use the loss as motivation going into her senior season. Abby returns to point guard and teams up with Temple and post player Nikki Kiernan to make another deep run. Thomas More returns to the Final Four in Rochester, Minnesota but lose in the national semifinals to Amherst ending Abby’s college career.

To summarize her career, Abby was a three-time All-American, 2017 PAC Player of the Year, appeared in three Final Fours and won two National Championships.

With her playing career over there is no question in Abby’s mind what she wants to do upon graduation. She is determined to become a college coach and begins that journey as a graduate assistant at Morehead State University.

She moves onto Shawnee State where coincidentally her new team is in the same conference as her alma matter Thomas More. As a side note the Bears come to Crestview Hills and snap the Saints nine-year regular season conference winning streak. Abby admits before the game it was the most nervous she had ever been preparing for a game.

In the late spring of 2020 she is hired to be an assistant coach at Bellarmine University on head coach Chancellor Dugan’s staff. Bellarmine was going into Division-I after many years of success in Division-II and the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

In the summer of 2020 Abby is named to the NCAA D-III All-Decade Team. This accolade is made special for Abby because she is joined for that honor with her teammates Sydney Moss and Madison Temple.

You can follow Abby on Twitter @CoachAbbyO

You can follow Brady Laber on Twitter @BradyLaber1 please use the hashtag #NobodysSafe

Check out the Nobody’s Safe website at nobodysssafe.fireside.fm

For more information on Stove Leg Media go the website StoveLeg.com or send an email to [email protected]

Intro music for the podcast was provided by bensoud.com