Scott Mcgowan (2022) - Grizzly Sports Hall of Fame - University of Montana Athletics

Scott Mcgowan

Induction:
2022
Class:
2005

McGowan was the first Montanan to ever run a sub-four-minute mile and was tabbed by former UM track coach Brian Schweyen as "the greatest middle-distance runner to ever compete at UM."

During his collegiate career, he was a four-time All-American, earning the honor twice in the indoor mile and the outdoor 1,500 in both 2002 and 2004. In his senior year, he finished fourth in the nation in the indoor mile and seventh in the outdoor 1,500.

He later placed 12th in the 1,500 in the 2004 US Olympic Trials in Sacramento. He was also a three-time Big Sky Conference champion, winning the indoor mile and outdoor 800 and 1,500 in 2004.

To this day, he holds three school records in the indoor mile (4:02.07), the outdoor 1,500 (3:41.87), and the indoor distance medley relay (9:49.23).

He broke the sub-four-minute mile barrier in January of 2005, finishing at 3:58.91 at the Reebok Boston Indoor Games. Later that year he became the Unites States champion in the indoor mile at the USATF Indoor Nationals.

He earned Academic All-Big Sky honors his freshman season and was named the team's "Most Inspirational" athlete in 2001.

McGowan graduated from UM in 2004 with a degree in History and went on to compete around the world professionally. A fourth-generation Montanan, he now works the family farm in his home town of Poplar.

His father, long-time basketball player and coach Felix McGowan was inducted into the Montana Indian Athletic Hall of Fame in 2021.

Quoting McGowan: "When you're an athlete, at least for me, you're not looking to land in any sort of hall of fame. You're just trying to do your best and get better all the time. So, when I got this call, I was surprised. What an honor. I never expected this. It made me realize that people look back, appreciate me and appreciate the things I did, and hopefully think I represented the university well. So, that means a lot."