Rock Hill, South Carolina, here she comes. Meet KeAra Bowen of Huntsville High School in Huntsville, Alabama.
A quaint Southern town resting on the banks of the Catawba River, Rock Hill is a town of about 74,000 residents and located only twenty minutes from the sprawling metropolis of Charlotte, N.C. Since 1886, it has been the home to Winthrop University, a public university whose athletic teams compete in the Big South Conference along with schools like High Point, UNC Asheville, and Charleston Southern. Next year, Winthrop will welcome one of Huntsville’s best, as Bowen, a senior right side hitter for HHS, will be joining the Eagles’ volleyball team and coach Heather Gearhart.
Although she was recruited by several other schools, KeAra says she chose Winthrop because of the connection she built with the coaching staff and Gearhart. “She just really got to know me as a person, and I think that’s important in recruiting,” Bowen says.
Bowen concludes an illustrious high school career that includes being named to the Alabama High School Volleyball Coaches All-State Second Team while leading the Panthers to the Super Regionals and a 33-7 overall record in 2023.
KeAra is coached at Huntsville High by Melanie Donahoo, who gives high praise to her student-athlete. “Ke is one of the kindest most unselfish players I have had and yet competes at a very high level. She is a great team leader due to her work ethic and character. She brings the energy and helps set the standards we want in our program,” Donahoo says.
Though she’s found great success on the volleyball court, KeAra says her entrance into the sport was a bit unconventional. “I danced for ten years, but it was my older sister…she loved volleyball and she played it throughout her entire high school career…I guess that’s what kind of worked me into it,” she says.
KeAra also excels in the classroom, maintaining a 4.3 G.PA, and is involved in school activities such as National Honors Society, Young Life, Pickleball Club, National Math Honors Society, and National Science Honors Society. Although she says her favorite subject is social studies, she plans to pursue a degree in exercise science at Winthrop.
Back on the court, KeAra says her favorite moment in her high school career was beating rival Sparkman in the finals of Huntsville’s Ironman Tournament her sophomore year. “That was a huge moment for me, that was one of the best games I ever played,” she says. “It was life-changing, really.”
Success has bred closeness for the Panthers team, KeAra says. “Our team is very close-knit. We love each other. We hang out with each other. And I think it makes it so great because we have a genuine connection on and off the court. I love these girls so much and I know the love we have for each other transfers onto the court, so it makes it really great and really easy to play with them.”
Outside of school and athletics, KeAra enjoys cooking, baking, and hanging out with friends. Her favorite holiday is Christmas and her go-to restaurant in the Huntsville area is Little Rosie’s Taquiera. She draws inspiration on the court from USA Volleyball Player Zoe Fleck and says she would love to one day meet professional tennis player Coco Gauff.
Currently, KeAra and the Panthers have a full schedule until the “Big Dance”—the state volleyball tournament in late October. Though winning a state championship is a broader goal, KeAra stays focused on a team mindset and improving her game daily. “That’s what we always want to do, we want to get better and improve, no matter what,” she says.
The Panthers have upcoming matches at Vestavia, Homewood, and Guntersville, and will host Sparkman, Hewitt Trussville, and Albertville in the coming weeks. Though she will take it one match at time, the hope for state remains in the back of KeAra’s mind.
After all, she knows a thing or two about dancing. TG
Photos by Al Blanton. A special thanks to our sponsor, Alabama Colon & Gastro, P.C.
