Coach Owens is entering his 30th season as a Hawk assistant coach. He offers a wealth of experience to the program where he brings a special emphasis to the post players. Coach Owens is well known for getting the most out of his players. He also spends a lot of time recruiting future Hawks.
As a high school recruit coming out of New York City, Ken Owens was recruited to Treasure Valley CC, based soley on word of mouth. After settling in for two record-setting seasons at TVCC, Owens saw numerous Division I offers come his way, but a visit to Idaho left an impression on both him and Coach Don Monson.
Monson took Owens, and the Vandals did win. A lot. In Owens' two seasons, Idaho went 52-7, won back-to-back Big Sky titles and went to the school's first two NCAA Tournaments, the second of which resulted in Idaho's first - and only - Sweet 16 appearance.Â
As a junior, Owens was a second-team All-Big Sky pick, but saved his best for late in the season as he earned Big Sky All-Tournament and Big Sky Tournament MVP honors in leading the Vandals past Idaho State and Montana for the title. He also earned All-Tournament honors at the Oklahoma State All-College Tournament.
His final year at Idaho was his finest, as Owens led the team to a 16-0 start, a Far West Classic title, a second-straight Big Sky title, a Sweet 16 appearance at the NCAA Tournament, and a No. 8 final ranking in both the AP and coaches' polls. He was chosen first team All-Big Sky, Big Sky Player of the Year, Big Sky Tournament MVP, and was honored by United Press International and The Sporting News as an All-America selection.
Owens was selected by the Seattle SuperSonics in the fourth round of the 1982 NBA Draft. He was selected to the Big Sky's 25th Anniversary Team in 1988.
Owens earned his degree in Counseling from Idaho and joined the coaching staff at Columbia Basin College in 1987. He has been at CBC ever since.Â
Ken Owens was inducted into the Idaho Vandal Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010.Â
