The start of the college football season has delivered great news for Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks’ fans as the school has given Vice President of Recreation and Director of Athletics Tara Owens a five-year contract extension.
Appointed to the position in September of 2022, Owens has created great success for the Hawks’ athletic department both athletically and academically.
Under her leadership, operational improvements have been made and facilities have been upgraded. And, through a focus on academic success, the Hawks claimed the MEAC award for, per the press release, the “highest Academic Progress Rate in the conference.”
“Since her arrival in the Fall of 2022, Vice President Owens has provided a great vision and leadership for Hawk athletics while effectively identifying and executing critical upgrades and changes in order to position us for success,” said UMES President Heidi M. Anderson. “She has also been instrumental in the overall improvement of our recreational and wellness efforts on our campus through numerous facility improvements and increased activities for students.”
One of her biggest accomplishments came last fall when Owens partnered with USA Volleyball and First Point Volleyball to add men’s volleyball to UMES athletics through a $250,000 grant. That makes the Hawks the first and only HBCU program to field a DI men’s volleyball team.
As we wrote in November 2023 when the news was announced, “The new men’s volleyball program will begin competing in the 2025-26 season in the Northeast Conference (NEC). Not only will the Hawks be the first NCAA D1 institution to add men’s volleyball, but they’re also the 68th school to ‘sponsor the fast-growing sport at the NCAA D1-D2 level.'”
Owens has also made improvements to the athletic facilities, including the renovation of the weight room, locker rooms and the rebranding of the Hytche Athletic Center gym floor. In addition, she is working on plans to upgrade the baseball and softball fields from dirt to “state-of-the-art turf surfaces.”
Owens also helped secure transportation for the department through a sponsorship with an automobile company that provides the Hawks with a fleet of vans and vehicles.
The Hawks third-year AD “continues to emphasize the motto ‘Take the Limits Off’ for the staff and students” and continues to focus on “building upon the strong foundation she has established, pushing boundaries and achieving new heights.”
