Kowal retired from CSC on Aug. 1, 2025.
Barb Kowal assumed the role of Director of Operations and Professional Development in November 2023. She previously held the titles of Director of External Affairs on the CSC staff from 2009-2016, and Director of Professional Development and External Affairs from October 2016 to November 2023.
With professional development responsibilities, Kowal is the staff liaison to the Professional Development and Education Committee, coordinating all aspects of leadership, year-round and convention professional development programs and educational planning.
Kowal also leads all operations for the Academic All-America program related to member nominations and voting. She is the staff liaison for the NCAA Division III and NAIA divisional cabinets in the governance structure of CSC, and is staff liaison for numerous CSC committees, including Academic All-America, Special Awards, Scholarships and CSC U Committees.
Kowal was inducted into the College Sports Communicators Hall of Fame in 2010 and received a CSC 25-Year Service Award that same year. She was honored with CSC's 2024 Mary Jo Haverbeck Trailblazer Award at the June CSCUNITE24 convention in Las Vegas for her groundbreaking work and advocacy for mentoring and leading ethnic and diversity efforts in the organization and for her work on the national scene in promoting and enhancing coverage and awareness of women's sports and non-revenue sports.
At the 2016 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Final Four in Dallas, she was awarded the United States Basketball Writers Association's (USBWA) Mary Jo Haverbeck Award, given for outstanding service and commitment to the media.
Kowals has served on the Uniited States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) Board of Directors since the fall of 2021, becoming the first female athletic communicator to attain a board of directors position in the USBWA.
Prior to her CSC position, Kowal was Assistant Athletics Director of Media Relations at the University of Texas (1997-2009). During her tenure, the UT women's athletic communications efforts were honored with over 100 CSC publication and media guides "citations of excellence," including 35 "Best in the Nation" awards.
Kowal came to Texas from The University of Connecticut were she served as senior associate director of athletic media relations for 13 years and was the primary contact for UConn's nationally-recognized women's basketball and men's soccer programs. Under her direction, UConn women's basketball developed the nation's largest media following for any women's sports program.
Her prior CSC service included a term on the Board of Directors (2002-05) and work on various CSC committees, including computer (now New Media), membership and publications. She has presented on panels and continuing education sessions for CSC, the Association for Women in Sports Media (AWSM), the USBWA, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and at numerous campus sites.
Prior to UConn, Kowal was the first full-time SID at Division III Manhattanville College (Purchase, NY) for three years after serving as sports information graduate assistant at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst for legendary CSC Hall of Famer Howie Davis. She received her undergraduate degree from Smith College with a B.A. in English and psychology, and played four years of varsity basketball and softball for the Pioneers.
A native of Massachusetts, she was inducted into the Quabbin Regional (Barre, Mass.) High School's inaugural Athletic Hall of Fame class in October of 2006 after being a six-year starting varsity basketball and softball player from seventh grade on.
An avid golfer and a resident of Austin, Texas, Kowal also is an active fundraiser for numerous cancer and Alzheimer's non-profit associations and also serves as a member of the University of Texas Women's Athletics Hall of Honor selection committee.