Eastern Michigan Athletics
Men's Basketball
John Bowler
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
John Bowler enters his first season at Eastern Michigan as an assistant men’s basketball coach for the 2026-27 season.
Prior to joining the Eagles, Bowler served as head men’s basketball coach and assistant athletic director at Parkland College since 2022. Bowler leaves Parkland with a 109-29 record, most recently coming off a NJCAA D2 National Championship after finishing as National Runner Up in the 2025 season. The Cobras ranked top 15 in the nation each season under Bowler, earning him NJCAA D2 National Tournament Coach of the Year (2026) and three-time NJCAA Central District Coach of the Year (2024, 2025, 2026).
Bowler served as an assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee from 2019 22. Playing a heavy role in recruiting, Bowler helped sign three top-50 junior college players as well as bring in a top-50 ranked recruiting class in 2021.
One year as the head coach at Des Moines Area Community College in 2018 saw Bowler finish with a 22-10 record in his first professional season running a program. The Bears finished top-10 in the nation with five All-Region performers.
Before becoming the head coach, Bowler was the associate head coach at DMACC from 2014-18, helping coach the Bears to a 2015 ICCAC Regular Season Conference Championship, culminating in an NJCAA FInal Four Appearance. 16 players developed under Bowler’s tutelage and moved on to NCAA D1/D2 schools during his tenure.
Bowler began his coaching career at Delta State University in 2013 as an assistant men’s basketball coach, helping lead the team to a 26-7 record with a Gulf South Conference Regular Season Championship and an NCAA D2 Sweet Sixteen appearance.
Bowler has professional basketball experience, playing six seasons overseas as the starting center for Telekom Baskets Bonn of Basketball Bundesliga, the highest tier of German basketball.
Bowler graduated from Eastern Michigan University in 2007 with a degree in Business Administration, later graduating from Delta State University in 2015 with a postgraduate degree in Sport and Health Performance.
Prior to joining the Eagles, Bowler served as head men’s basketball coach and assistant athletic director at Parkland College since 2022. Bowler leaves Parkland with a 109-29 record, most recently coming off a NJCAA D2 National Championship after finishing as National Runner Up in the 2025 season. The Cobras ranked top 15 in the nation each season under Bowler, earning him NJCAA D2 National Tournament Coach of the Year (2026) and three-time NJCAA Central District Coach of the Year (2024, 2025, 2026).
Bowler served as an assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee from 2019 22. Playing a heavy role in recruiting, Bowler helped sign three top-50 junior college players as well as bring in a top-50 ranked recruiting class in 2021.
One year as the head coach at Des Moines Area Community College in 2018 saw Bowler finish with a 22-10 record in his first professional season running a program. The Bears finished top-10 in the nation with five All-Region performers.
Before becoming the head coach, Bowler was the associate head coach at DMACC from 2014-18, helping coach the Bears to a 2015 ICCAC Regular Season Conference Championship, culminating in an NJCAA FInal Four Appearance. 16 players developed under Bowler’s tutelage and moved on to NCAA D1/D2 schools during his tenure.
Bowler began his coaching career at Delta State University in 2013 as an assistant men’s basketball coach, helping lead the team to a 26-7 record with a Gulf South Conference Regular Season Championship and an NCAA D2 Sweet Sixteen appearance.
Bowler has professional basketball experience, playing six seasons overseas as the starting center for Telekom Baskets Bonn of Basketball Bundesliga, the highest tier of German basketball.
Bowler graduated from Eastern Michigan University in 2007 with a degree in Business Administration, later graduating from Delta State University in 2015 with a postgraduate degree in Sport and Health Performance.
| The John Bowler File | ||
| Name: | John Bowler | |
| High School: | Notre Dame College Prep - Niles, Ill. | |
| College: | Eastern Michigan University - Bachelor's degree in Management - 2007 | |
| Delta State University - Master of Science in Sport & Human Performance with Concentration in Sports Administration - 2015 | ||
| Coaching Experience | ||
| Year | School | Position |
| 2022-26 | Parkland College | Head Coach/Assistant Athletic Director |
| 2019-22 | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | Associate Coach |
| 2018-19 | Des Moines Area Community College | Head Coach/Academic Advisor |
| 2014-18 | Des Moines Area Community College | Associate Head Coach/Assistant Housing Director |
| 2013-2014 | Delta State University | Assistant Coach |
| 2006-12 | Telekom Baskets Bonn (Basketball Bundesliga) | Professional Athlete |
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Wednesday, February 25
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