Head Coach
dfowlkes@westga.edu
Hometown: Decatur, Georgia
Record at UWG: 483 – 279
Sixteen years ago, the West Georgia Braves program was in search of a captain to lead the team to victory. The presence of David “Doc” Fowlkes was just what the doctor ordered. For the last 15 seasons, the quiet man from Decatur has been the driving force behind UWG’s success on the diamond.
Doc’s Braves have earned a reputation and opponents know they must face a strong offense, runners that are aggressive on the bases, and a tenacious threat from the mound. In fact, the tenacious description is one that fits every facet of UWG baseball.
Now entering his 16th season as the Head Baseball Coach, Fowlkes has been a part of West Georgia baseball for much longer. He has been with the program since returning to the school to become a full-time assistant coach in 1985. Earlier, he had served as both a student assistant and graduate assistant with the Braves. Fowlkes spent the year between as the athletic coordinator with the City’s Parks, Recreations, and Cultural Arts Department.
But coaching is not everything that “Doc” has on his resume. Following a stellar high school career, he began a three-and-a-half year run in professional baseball. He spent time in both the Cleveland Indians and Los Angeles Dodger organizations, eventually reaching the AAA level.
When his baseball playing days ended, Fowlkes returned to his other sport of choice: basketball. As a standout at Decatur High School, Fowlkes turned that ability into a successful college career. He came to West Georgia and played point guard on the Braves’ 1981 NCAA Tournament team.
Fowlkes’s coaching era started when he served in a dual role as an assistant coach with both West Georgia’s baseball and basketball programs. Also, he was an administrative aid to the Director of Athletics.
Once assuming West Georgia’s top coaching job in the baseball program following the 1990 season, Fowlkes immediately began moving the Braves’ program forward in the GSC and in Division II. He has posted a winning percentage that ranks sixth-best in the history of the Gulf South Conference.
The shining moment for Fowlkes, and UWG baseball, came in 1998. Then, the Braves captured the GSC and NCAA South Region crowns. With the latter came the school’s first-ever trip to the Division II World Series where the Braves finished 3rd in the nation.
Last year was a down year for UWG baseball, as the Braves had a record of 27-25 and missed the Gulf South Conference tournament by just one game. With a solid returning nucleus, the Braves look to return to the GSC tourney in Milligan in 2006.
Fowlkes is married to the former Lisa Smith, and the pair have two children, Drew, a junior at Carrollton High School, and Tyler.