Director of Athletics | North Greenville University

Will Lowrey enters his third year as Director of Athletics at North Greenville University, where he has quickly established one of the premier athletic departments in NCAA Division II and Christian higher education.

Since arriving at North Greenville on June 1, 2024, Lowrey has cast a bold vision for the athletic department: to become the standard for how Christian institutions compete and win championships. Under his leadership, North Greenville has experienced remarkable competitive success while remaining steadfast in its commitment to developing student-athletes in body, mind, and spirit.

During his first two years, North Greenville captured the Conference Carolinas Dr. Alan Patterson Cup in consecutive seasons, recognizing the conference's top overall athletic department for excellence in athletic achievement, academics, sportsmanship, and community engagement. The back-to-back championships marked only the second and third Patterson Cup titles in university history and affirmed the department's emergence as one of the conference's premier athletic programs.

The 2025-26 academic year was among the most successful in school history. North Greenville won Conference Carolinas championships in Football, Baseball, and Women's Cross Country, while the 2024-25 season featured championships in Men's Lacrosse and Women's Cross Country. Women's Cross Country claimed back-to-back conference championships under Lowrey's leadership, while numerous Trailblazer programs earned regional and national rankings and NCAA postseason appearances.

Equally important to the department's competitive success, North Greenville has continued to excel academically and spiritually. Student-athletes have maintained a cumulative department GPA above 3.0 in consecutive academic years, completed more than 4,000 hours of annual community service, and embraced a culture centered on discipleship, servant leadership, and spiritual growth.

During Lowrey's tenure, the athletic department has also experienced significant growth beyond competition. He announced the addition of Women's Flag Football as North Greenville's 21st varsity sport, with competition scheduled to begin during the 2027-28 academic year as part of the NCAA Emerging Sports initiative. The department has expanded fundraising efforts, strengthened donor engagement, enhanced the game-day experience, and continued investing in facilities designed to position NGU for long-term success.

As Director of Athletics, Lowrey oversees an NCAA Division II athletic department consisting of 21 varsity sports, more than 575 student-athletes, approximately 55 coaches and staff members, and a multi-million-dollar operating budget. His responsibilities include strategic planning, personnel leadership, fundraising, facilities management, NCAA compliance, championship operations, student-athlete development, and the overall vision and direction of the department.

Prior to joining North Greenville, Lowrey served as Director of Athletics at Blue Mountain Christian University from 2018-2024. During his tenure, the university experienced significant growth in enrollment, fundraising, facilities, and competitive success while overseeing 18 varsity sports.

Before entering collegiate athletics administration, Lowrey spent eight years as Head Baseball Coach and Director of Development at Tupelo Christian Preparatory School in Tupelo, Mississippi. Prior to his career in education, he spent more than a decade working in the sports industry before answering God's call into Christian education and athletics leadership.

A native of Tupelo, Mississippi, Lowrey earned his Bachelor of Business Administration from Delta State University in 1999 and a Master of Science in Intercollegiate Athletic Administration from Western Kentucky University in 2016. He is currently completing a Doctor of Ministry in Strategic Christian Leadership at North Greenville University.

In 2017, Lowrey founded the Bigger Than Ball Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to encouraging and equipping coaches to step away from the demands of competition in order to be renewed spiritually, strengthened personally, and equipped to influence those they lead through Christ-centered leadership.

Known as a championship builder, culture architect, and transformational leader, Lowrey believes athletics provides one of the greatest platforms in higher education to shape future leaders. His leadership philosophy is rooted in the conviction that while championships are celebrated, the greatest victories are lives transformed through faith, servant leadership, academic excellence, and competitive achievement.

Selected Leadership Accomplishments at North Greenville University (2024–Present)

Spiritual Formation & Academic Excellence

• Established the department-wide vision of becoming "The Standard for How Christian Institutions Compete and Win Championships."
• Developed and implemented a comprehensive 1,000-Day Strategic Plan during the summer of 2024, providing a roadmap for competitive excellence, spiritual formation, facility enhancement, fundraising, and organizational growth.
• Launched the department's inaugural Spiritual Development Day for coaches and staff in the summer of 2026, investing in Christ-centered leadership, discipleship, and organizational alignment.
• Maintained a cumulative department GPA above 3.0 in back-to-back academic years.
• Continued emphasizing holistic student-athlete development through spiritual formation, leadership development, academic excellence, and service.
• Student-athletes completed more than 4,000 hours of community service annually.

Championship Success

• Led North Greenville Athletics to consecutive Conference Carolinas Dr. Alan Patterson Cup Championships (2024-25 and 2025-26).
•  North Greenville accomplished five Conference Carolinas team championships in his first two years:
  • Men's Lacrosse (2025)
  • Women's Cross Country (2025)
  • Football (2026)
  • Baseball (2026)
  • Women's Cross Country (2026 – Back-to-Back Conference Champions)
• Oversaw continued divisional, NCAA postseason appearances, and national rankings across multiple sports.
• Announced the addition of Women's Flag Football as North Greenville's 21st varsity sport beginning in the 2027-28 academic year.

Student-Athlete Experience & Culture

• Reintroduced the NGU Athletic Awards Ceremony during the 2025-26 academic year, restoring a department tradition recognizing excellence in athletics, academics, leadership, and character.
• Continued building a department culture centered on servant leadership, competitive excellence, and Christ-centered discipleship.

Facilities & Capital Improvements

• Led the complete resurfacing of the NGU Tennis Complex (Summer 2024).
• Directed installation of new synthetic turf at Pepsi Stadium (Summer 2025).
• Oversaw the athletics component of North Greenville University's comprehensive Trailblazer institutional rebrand (Summer 2024).
• Installed high-definition digital video boards at Younts Stadium and Hayes Gymnasium, significantly enhancing the student-athlete and fan experience.
• Advanced planning and fundraising for:
  • New press box, restroom facilities, and concession stand at Jan McDonald Field
  • New 5,000-square-foot Baseball Hitting & Development Facility

Fundraising & External Relations

• Increased philanthropic support by more than $350,000 during his first two years.
• Created and launched the annual Trailblazer Night of Champions Dinner, establishing a signature athletics celebration and fundraising event featuring sponsorships, donor engagement, and a silent auction.
• Reimagined the Trailblazer Club into a sport-specific giving model, allowing supporters to directly invest in the programs they are most passionate about.
• Expanded donor engagement while strengthening relationships with alumni, community partners, and corporate sponsors.

Organizational Leadership

• Oversees:
  • 21 NCAA Division II varsity sports
  • More than 575 student-athletes
  • Approximately 55 coaches and staff members
  • A multi-million-dollar operating budget
• Provides leadership in strategic planning, personnel management, fundraising, facilities, NCAA compliance, student-athlete development, and championship operations.

Career Highlights

• Director of Athletics, North Greenville University (2024–Present)
• Two-time Conference Carolinas Dr. Alan Patterson Cup Champion (2024-25, 2025-26)
• Five Conference Carolinas Team Championships in two years
• Women's Cross Country Back-to-Back Conference Champions
• Added Women's Flag Football as NGU's 21st varsity sport
• Increased fundraising by more than $350,000 in two years
• Created the annual Trailblazer Night of Champions Dinner and Silent Auction
• Reimagined the Trailblazer Club into a sport-specific giving model
• Implemented a department-wide 1,000-Day Strategic Plan
• Launched the department's inaugural Spiritual Development Day for coaches and staff
• Restored the NGU Athletic Awards Ceremony
• Led the athletics portion of the university's Trailblazer rebrand
• Completed major facility enhancements, including tennis court resurfacing, Pepsi Stadium turf replacement, and digital video board installations
• Maintained back-to-back department GPAs above 3.0 while student-athletes completed more than 4,000 annual community service hours