Feb. 18, 2008

Submitted by Darrell Orandl, Auburn University Montgomery, 334-244-3832

MONTGOMERY, Ala.--One thousand wins.

Few coaches of any sport at any level can boast of so many victories. The newest member of that elite club is Auburn Montgomery head baseball coach Q.V. Lowe, who's Senators notched his 1,000^th career win as a head coach with a thrilling 8-7 win over Martin Methodist on February 14.

But this is not the story of a game. This is the story of a man. More specifically, this is the story of a coach who has built a program from nothing to an NAIA baseball powerhouse.

Back in 1986, Lowe was hired at AUM to start a baseball program. While winning is always a focus of any great coach, in the early days Lowe's thoughts were consumed with building a proper ballpark, recruiting and raising private funds to help run the program. Thanks to Lowe's tireless work ethic, all those details worked themselves out. He raised the money to build the field and to run the program.

And, according to assistant head coach Marty Lovrich, Lowe has never had a problem recruiting.

"He's great in so many areas, but you have to really look at his recruiting to see how we got here," Lovrich, a part of Lowe's AUM staff since 1990, told the Montgomery Advertiser. "You bring a kid in, they meet Q.V., the parents meet him and they call back two weeks later ready to sign. Everyone loves the guy. Everyone respects him for the man he is and the coach he is."

Lowe's recruiting prowess helped the AUM program mature quickly. The first three teams --- in 1987, 1988 and 1989 --- won seven, 19 and 28 games, respectively, with the 1989 team making the Senators' first postseason appearance.

Then, in 1990, the Senators exploded onto the NAIA scene with a 40-win season and a surprising postseason run that ended just short of a national championship when the Senators dropped the title game, 9-4, to Lewis-Clark. Since then, there have been no losing seasons and Lowe's Senators have made NAIA World Series appearances twice more --- in 1992 and 2006.

Lowe's coaching success is a natural continuation of his success as a player.  After a standout high school career, he went on to Gulf Coast Community College where he led the Panama City institution to the Junior College World Series in 1965.  He was named to the JUCO All-America teams both seasons at Gulf Coast.

From there, Lowe moved on to Auburn University and the tough SEC.  He earned NCAA All-America honors and was named the SEC Player of the Year in 1967.  He led the Tigers to their first-ever NCAA World Series appearance in 1967. He still holds Auburn records for complete games in a single season with 10 in 1967 and for the career earned run average at 1.69.

He signed on to play professional baseball with the Chicago Cubs in 1967 and became a pitching and bullpen coach for the Cubs in 1972. Coaching stints with the Montreal Expos and the New York Yankees ensued before Lowe landed his first collegiate head coaching job at Lurleen B. Wallace Junior College in Andalusia, Ala., where he compiled a 179-101 record.

But it is Lowe's work as the builder and sole head coach of the AUM baseball program that will be his lasting legacy. He has coached a total of 61 All-Conference players, 43 All-Area or All-Region players and 34 All-Americans. He has won numerous coach-of-the-year honors, including the NAIA National Coach of the Year in 1990.  He has led AUM to three World Series and has been honored by his alma mater Auburn University.  In 1998 he was inducted into the Auburn University Tiger Walk Hall of Fame.  He was also inducted into the Alabama Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1995, and was named the Alabama Baseball Coaches Association College Coach of the Year in 2007.

One visit to Lowe's office makes it clear why he is loved as both a baseball coach and a man. Years of relationships hang on his walls in the form of photos with former players, of former players and their families, and of the letters he gets so often.

Each year, several former AUM baseball players come back to participate in Lowe's "Old Timers" game. They play a little baseball, play a little golf and spend time with their former coach.  Many times those former players stay with him out at "The Barn," a barn-turned-clubhouse on Lowe's farm. The structure is full of bunk beds, televisions and a kitchen where Lowe cooks or grills for all of his guests.  He has several old campers next to the barn he has gutted and filled with more bunk beds to ensure that every visitor has a bed.

Lowe also has a number one fan, his wife Ginger.  She attends all AUM games, sitting right next to the dugout and ever encouraging the players.  Ginger knows a thing or two about coaching herself.  She spent 18 years as the head volleyball coach at Troy University (formerly Troy State) where she continues to be the all-time leader in coaching victories with 358.

After AUM's thrilling come-from-behind 8-7 victory on Wednesday, a flood of emotions and memories filled Lowe during the post-game celebration.  He received hand shakes and hugs from family, friends, players, former players and even the Martin Methodist coaching staff and players.

One thousand wins is a lot of wins, but Lowe sees those victories through his memories of people --- players and former players who have become his family.

After all of the interviews with local television and newspapers, after all of the family members and friends had gone home, Lowe and his assistants coaches, Lovrich and Kyle Hunter, sat in the office and started to prepare for their quest for 1,001.

Since February 14, Lowe has recorded win number 1,001. But who's counting?

Next up for the Senators is University of West Alabama on Wednesday, February 20, 2008. For more information on AUM baseball click here.