Upon the conclusion of six years as Head Men’s Basketball Coach at LSUS, Chad McDowell has compiled an impressive list of accomplishments and awards. This list includes 2005, 2006, and 2008 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Championships; four consecutive GCAC Tournament Championships in 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009; five consecutive NAIA National Tournament appearances from 2005-2009, which includes advancing to the Sweet Sixteen in 2005 and 2008; three GCAC Coach of the Year Awards (2004, 2005 and 2008); five Louisiana Small College Coach of the Year Awards (2004-2008); a school record 31 wins in 2008, including three victories over NCAA Division 1 opponents (McNeese State, Centenary and Northwestern St.); and has had his Pilots ranked as high as No. 1 in the country (2006).

                On March 3, 2007, McDowell recorded his 100th win as the LSUS Head Coach by defeating Xavier University 82-66.  Since the resurrection of the men’s basketball program at Louisiana State University in Shreveport in 2003, McDowell has led the Pilots to a 154-47 (.766) overall record, the highest winning percentage of any college basketball coach in the State of Louisiana over the last six years.  The Pilots have combined for an 84-24 (.778) record in conference play, and a 79-12 (.868) record at “The Dock”.

                A big reason for Coach McDowell’s success over his first five years is his ability to recruit some of the top players at the NAIA level. Fredericko Payne led the NAIA in scoring averaging 25.5 points per game in the 2005 season and was selected as the first All-American in LSUS athletics history. Payne was also selected as the GCAC Player of the Year in 2005 and 2006 and was awarded the Louisiana Small College player of the year in 2004, 2005, and 2006.  In addition to Payne, Josh Porter finished his career as a two-time NAIA All-American (2006 and 2008), while being named the Basketball Times NAIA Player of the Year, GCAC Player of the Year and Louisiana Small college Player of the Year in 2008.  Six of his former players (Derrick Hill, Shadrach Roome, Josh Porter, Tyrone Hamilton, Chris Gatlin, Mike Pilgrim) have played professional basketball.

                McDowell was born on April, 15, 1973, in Shreveport, LA.  He graduated from Southwood High in 1991 and enrolled at LSUS.  He averaged 20 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds a game his senior year at LSUS.  He was twice named Southwest Region Player of the Week and was named a finalist for Louisiana Player of the Year his senior season.  He holds LSUS records for career assists and career steals, and is second in career scoring and third in career scoring average. 

                After graduating in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary and secondary health and physical education he returned to his alma mater as assistant girl’s basketball coach and head girl’s freshman basketball coach. 

                In 1997 he became the boys’ head basketball coach at C.E. Byrd High School, one of the largest public schools in the state of Louisiana.  McDowell, at the time, was one of the youngest head coaches at the 5A level in Louisiana.  In his four seasons at Byrd High he compiled an 86-48 record, and made playoff appearances twice.

                In 2001 he moved across town and back to his alma mater, Southwood High School, where he became the head boys’ basketball coach.  He restored the program’s tradition, and in his first year his team had a 29-7 record and made it to the 5A State Championship game.  In 2002-03 his team improved to 38-3 and made it to the Quarterfinals of the 5A State playoffs.  In his two highly successful seasons at Southwood he compiled a 67-10 record.  McDowell has a 153-58 overall high school coaching record. 

                McDowell is married to the former Jennifer Young and they are the proud parents of three children.  Martin Penn McDowell was born on January 31, 2003, Molly Catherine McDowell was born September 13, 2004, and Megan Elizabeth McDowell was born on March 3, 2008.