Valerie Cowan joined Pomona-Pitzer in 2000, and before that was an assistant coach at the University of Evansville (IN) during the 1999 season. Cowan was also the Head Volleyball Coach at Porterville College (CA) from 1995-1999. At Porterville, Cowan's team qualified for the NorCal Regionals for the first time.
Before making the transition to coaching at the collegiate level, Cowan coached at North High School in Bakersfield, and at Canberra High School in Australia. She has also had coaching experience with the Vintage Volleyball Club and with the San Luis Obispo Juniors. In addition to her coaching experience, Cowan has worked several camps, including San Luis Obispo, U.C. Santa Barbara, C.S.U. Bakersfield, and West Texas State.
As a player at CSU Bakersfield, Cowan was a NCAA II Second Team All America Selection (her school's first) and helped her team to the NCAA II National title in 1989. Cowan was also named to All Tournament teams in the National Championships and the Air Force Premiere Tourney. In addition, Cowan is a three-time First Team All West Region, and earned four straight All-CCAA honors.
Cowan still participates in USAV Championships,
where she was a Gold Medalist in the Women's Open Bronze Division
(1997), an All-America selection (1997), a Bronze Medalist
(1998), a Silver Medalist (2001) in the Women's 30's Division and a
Silver Medalist in the Women's A Silver Division (2006). In 2008,
Cowan captured a silver medal in the Women's A Gold Division.
