LOWELL, Mass. – UMass Lowell women's basketball head coach Denise King has announced two additions to her staff. John Owens joins as an assistant coach and Marcus Young has taken the role of director of basketball operations.
 
John Owens joins the coaching staff with plenty of experience across all facets of the sport. He served as the head boys' basketball coach at the William Penn Charter School in Philadelphia for four years where he led the team to its first championship since 2004 during the 2021-2022 season and three straight winning seasons. He has coached two all-conference players, the first players to receive the honor in five seasons. Owens is involved off the court as well as a co-creator and member of the Penn Charter Athletic Leadership Committee. Owens also served as the Director of Basketball Operations for Philly Triple Threat, where he supported the coaching staff with game-planning, team structuring and overall development.
 
"First, I offer extreme gratitude to Coach Denise King for allowing me to be a part of the UMass Lowell Women's basketball program," said Owens. "During the interview process, I felt that we shared the same values with our family-first approach, competitive nature and attention to detail. I genuinely feel like she is a rising star in college basketball, and our team is lucky that she is our leader. The young women have welcomed me with open arms, which is a great feeling when adjusting to a new environment. I believe our team is hungry and ready to compete. We have a lot to prove, and step one starts on November 7th."
 
Prior to his time with Philly Triple Threat and Penn Charter, he served as associate head coach for Abington Friends School where he led the team to a Friends League Championship in 2012-2013. Owens was also responsible for recruiting three professional players and 11 student athletes that played across the NCAA. He was also a Quaker Cup Champion in 2017 and the current founder of the Educated Basketball Camp.
 
From 2008-2012 he was an assistant coach at California University of Pennsylvania where he held many responsibilities such as offensive play-calling, running film sessions and assisting with student-athlete academic progress. He helped the team win the PSAC Championship in 2008 and was honored as part of the PSAC Coaching Staff of the Year that season. The team also made a Division II Final Four appearance in that season.
 
Owens played two seasons of collegiate basketball at Bloomsburg University before moving to California University of Pennsylvania for two seasons. The four-year starter and three-year captain was named the 2007 California University of PA Most Valuable Player and was a 1,000-point scorer. He also led the league in assists and steals twice.
 
"We are happy to welcome John into our River Hawk family," said head coach Denise King. "John is a proven winner as a player and a coach; his IQ for the game, ability to develop and connect with our players on and off the court will be a huge asset to our program. He has hit the ground running and his presence has already had an impact on our program."
 
Owens earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from California University of Pennsylvania in 2007 and completed his Master's in psychology in 2009.
 
Marcus Young also joins the staff as the new director of basketball operations ahead of the 2022-2023 season. Prior to joining the River Hawks, Young served as the director of basketball operations for the Texas Southern University women's basketball team for two years. He spent several years working in the corporate field before joining Texas Southern.
 
"I am very excited to join this program and become a River Hawk," said Young. "Coach King and the rest of the staff have made my transition from Texas very smooth. There is an overall quality culture here and the girls are great to work with. This season will be exciting as we aim for a conference championship."
 
Before working with the Tigers, Young served as the director of basketball operations for the Prairie View A&M University women's basketball team from 2007 to 2009. In that time, the Panthers were two-time SWAC regular season champions, participants in the 2008 WNIT tournament and the 2009 NCAA tournament.
 
Young has had plenty of experience working at the collegiate level and has also built a professional resume as well. In 2009, he played professional basketball for the Houston Blaze and served as a male practice player for the WNBA's San Antonio Stars. In 2008, he was a member of the US Women's Olympic Basketball U18 National Team camp staff and served as a male practice player for the WNBA's Houston Comets. Young was also a volunteer coach for the at San Antonio Holmes high school boys' basketball team.
 
"Marcus will bring a Southern flair to our family," added King. "His previous experience as a DOBO will help our program continue to run smoothly and help prepare our student-athletes for life after basketball."
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A native of San Antonio, Texas, Young played college football at the University of Arkansas-Monticello before transferring to Prairie View A&M University, where he graduated in 2005.