It was at Brookline High that Sandy began to make a name for herself as one of the best throwers not only in Massachusetts but also New England. At a time when girl’s high school track and field was just starting to take off, Sandy was having a positive and tremendous impact for the advancement of all the high school girls in Massachusetts. Her PR’s at Brookline included a 44’9” shot and a 142’ discus throw. In 1997 Brookline inducted Sandy Burke Fowler into their Hall of Fame. After earning all state, all New England and all American status Sandy accepted a scholarship to attend Northeastern University.

While at Northeastern she was a four-year, eight-time All American. From 1979 to 1985 she was consistently ranked in the top 10 for the United States in the shot. In 1980, 81, 82 she was the New England Indoor and Outdoor shot put champion. In 81 and 82 she was also the New England Champ in the Discus. Also in 1981 she was the ECAC shot put champion. In 1982 Sandy was the AIAW (the NCAA’s predecessor) Outdoor Shot Put champion. Sandy still holds the Shot Put record at Northeastern with a toss of 53’11.75” and the Discus record with a throw of 165’10”. Fowler also competed internationally for the U.S.A. several times. In 1981 she went to Bucharest, Romania, which hosted the World University Games during that same year she went to New Zealand to compete at the Pan Pacific Games. She also participated in the 1981 and 1982 USA vs. Russia meets held in Leningrad, USSR and Indianapolis, Ind. Respectively, she also competed in a Dual meet v. East Germany in Karl Marx Stadium. In 1988 Northeastern inducted Sandy into NU Hall of Fame.

In the middle of her collegiate career Sandy earned a spot on the United States Olympic squad as an alternate in the Shot Put. But her dreams, like so many others were smashed when the U.S. chose not to participate in the 1980 Olympics.

Sandy would take her passion, her experience and her expertise and bring it to hundreds of young athletes into a stellar coaching career. From coaching at her alma matta at Brookline High School, to stints at James Madison University, to Syracuse University, to the University of Florida, all the way to her present job as the Head Women’s Track and Field Coach at the University of Alabama. We were very pleased when Sandy was able to take some time away from her team which is competing in New York this weekend at the Milrose Games to be with us here today. One of her top coaching honors was when in 2005 she was chosen to be the Head Track & Field Coach of the United States World Championship Team that competed in Helsinki, Finland. Some of her other coaching accomplishments include: 2 United States Olympians ----1 World Champion -----25 NCAA All-Americans ----1 NCAA Team Title -------4 SEC Championship Teams ------ and probably even more importantly 74 Academic All-SEC honors (at Alabama)