Hi my name is Libby Bowen and I am excited to be a coach for Fusion this Fall. I was born and raised in Winston-Salem, NC and started playing lacrosse in 6th grade at Forsyth Country Day School. Before lacrosse, I showed horses and spent nearly all of my free time at the barn. Although horses remained an important part of my life, my summers were quickly filled with lacrosse camps, clinics, practices, and tournaments. I played with the Panthers Lacrosse Club for Lyndsey Boswell for 7 years and it was through this program that my love for the sport really grew. I went to RJ Reynolds High School and played varsity Lacrosse all four years and Field Hockey for three. I went on to play Division I lacrosse for Furman University where I was an attacker. While at Furman, I double majored in Political Science and History and participated in our chapter of Morgan's Message. I also worked as a peer-mentor my junior year in a program that helped first-year students navigate the adjustment to college life and academics. In the summer of 2021, I coached with Fusion and helped out at several sticks and speed clinics in the winter. I graduated this past May and am now working in Winston-Salem and will be an assistant coach for both Field Hockey and Lacrosse at Summit School this coming school year. I am so grateful for the positive ways the sport of lacrosse has impacted my life and I hope that I can help younger girls enjoy the same valuable experiences. 

I am Maddie Bowman, a Salem VA native. I began playing lacrosse at 8 years old. This is when my love for lacrosse first started. Following my high school career, I played lacrosse at Radford University, a division 1 program in the Big South. During this time, I helped lead the team to its first ever Big South final in 2021. I was also a member of the Big South all tournament team during that same year. Over my entire collegiate career, I hold the record of saves in an individual game at Radford, with 20 saves against La Salle University. I also was ranked nationally in both the 2020 & 2021 seasons in saves per game and saves in a season.

 After graduating from Radford in 2022, I moved to Winston Salem. This is where I am currently pursuing my doctorate degree in biochemistry. 

I went to Methodist University for undergrad. While there, I played lacrosse all four years. Here are some accolades I received:

- USA South All-Academic award all four years

- USA South First Team All-Conference Defender (2018-19)

- Team Captain (2019-20)

- Team MVP (2019-20)

I graduated from Methodist University cum laude in 2020. I received a B.S. in Biology with a concentration in cellular/molecular biology. I also minored in Spanish, Mathematics, and Chemistry. I then went to Wake Forest University School of Medicine and received my M.S. in Biomedical Research. 

Currently, I am a PhD candidate in Biomedical Engineering program at Wake. While in grad school, I have been the head girls lacrosse coach at R.J. Reynolds since fall of 2021. Also, I’ve been working with fusion for a little under two years. I started with fusion the summer of 2021. I took a break after that summer but decided to come back during the fall of 2022.

Coach Downs fell in love with the game of lacrosse in 8th grade.  He set the record for points and goals at his high school and captained his team for two years.  Downs started his college career in Massachusetts but after multiple injuries transferred to play at UNCG where he captained the team for two years and also served as coach and president. While in Greensboro he also helped coach at Page High School and Northwest. After college Downs moved back to MA where he coached Varsity at a high school, founded a youth lacrosse program in Cambridge, volunteered for an inner-city lacrosse program to help underserved youth, and coached a number of select teams that travelled around the New England area to compete. He is now a D1 lacrosse referee living in Winston Salem.

Hometown: Leonardtown, MD

Leonardtown High School 4yr Varsity

All County, All SMAC. 

Greensboro College:NCAA DIII 3yr starter, Voted Captain Senior Year

High School Experience:

13’-16’: Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School( NC) Assistant Coach/ Defensive Coordinator

16’-17’: Bishop McGuinness- Head Coach( Coached 4yr starting goalie to NC all-time save leader w/ 927 career saves.

17’-18’: Forsyth Country Day School: Women’s Goalie Coach

18’-19’: Page High School(NC): Assistant/ Goalie Coach. Reached NC 4a state semi finals.

19’-21’: Southwest Guilford HighSchool Boys Head Coach.

Club:

13’-15’: LB3 Goalie Coach/ 2020Coach Defensive Coach.

15’-17’: FLEET Lacrosse( helped form Club) Goalie Director, 2020 Coach.

2020 Coach/ Defense

17’-19’: Twins Lacrosse 20&27 Coach, Goalie Coach

19’-22’: NC Fusion 27 Coach, Goalie Coach.

Youth:

13’-16’: TYLA Coach

17’-23’: Deep River Youth Lacrosse Coach, Defensive/ Goalie Coach.

College: 

Guilford men’s lacrosse Defensive Coordinator.