Pam McGowens resigns as girls basketball coach of back-to-back Upper State champ Wren

Pam McGowens has stepped down as Wren girls basketball coach, she said Friday night.

McGowens said she will continue to be a teacher at the high school, but will retire from coaching. She has coached Wren for the past eight years, finishing with three consecutive 20-win seasons. The Hurricanes in 2023-24 won their second straight Upper State championship and finished state runner-up in Class AAA.

“I feel the timing is right to step away from coaching to support my children and their endeavors and put my family first,” McGowens said. “I have had a great time coaching and will cherish the opportunity I’ve had to shape and mold young women on and off the basketball court. I am really going to miss the relationships formed through the game of basketball.”

Wren went 28-3 this season, 10-0 in Region 2. Raina McGowens, daughter of the Hurricanes’ coach, finished her senior year as the program’s all-time leading scorer and will play next season at Furman. She was the Anderson Independent Mail player of the year.

Pam McGowens and her husband Bobby also have two sons who have played in the NBA. Bryce McGowens is with the Charlotte Hornets and Trey McGowens is a free agent who played last season with the Brooklyn Nets.

Pam McGowens led Wren to three region championships and was named coach of the year four times (2018, 2022, 2023, 2024). Her overall record is 148-64, including 63-14 in region games. In the past four seasons, the Hurricanes were 38-2 in league play.

This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: SC high school girls basketball: Wren coach Pam McGowens resigns