Steve Lowery, who had an outstanding prep career at Wake Forest-Rolesville High School, said Dave Jauss (former Atlantic Christian College Head Baseball Coach) was the only coach during the recruiting process that was honest and didn’t try to “up-sell” him.

“I had visited and talked to other coaches,” said Lowery. “I realized that Coach Jauss was the one person that had been 100 percent honest.”

After a trip back from East Carolina University with his mom, Lowery stopped by and saw Coach Jauss. “We found him at the field and asked him if he wanted me to play for him, he answered just like I thought he would, and I made my decision at that moment.”

Lowery was the Wake County 2A Player of the Year and earned All-State honors in 1987 at Wake Forest Rolesville before a four-year distinguished career at A.C.C./Barton (1988-91).

Lowery was one of the Bulldogs’ best-ever baserunners, stealing 52-of-53 bases as a freshman in 1988 and leading A.C.C./Barton to 35 victories, the NAIA District 26 Regular Season Championship, and a berth in the district finals.

Lowery was a two-time All-Carolinas Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honoree (1990 and 1991), an all-district selection and was named the team’s Most Valuable Player in 1991. Lowery also batted .300 for his career and stole 100 bases.

Lowery had a feeling from the start when selecting his college. “I chose Atlantic Christian because I believed in the program and wanted to play baseball for someone who believed in my abilities.” 

Lowery said discipline, desire, dedication, and focus were the keys to his success.  “I even surprised myself upon making the Dean’s List!”

Some of Lowery’s best moments at A.C.C./Barton included hitting a home run in his first “official” collegiate at-bat and defeating East Carolina University as a senior in 1991.

“The van rides were ‘epic’ to say the least,” said Lowery, who added practicing in the gymnasium and digging holes in the outfield to drain water so they could play were other small yet important things he remembers fondly.

Lowery graduated from Barton in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. “When I saw my parents, my grandparents and many other family members swell with pride and joy that their little ‘Stevie’ had accomplished what he set out to do, it is something I will always remember” said Lowery.

Lowery, a native of Raleigh, N.C., worked for the Raleigh Police Department for over 27 years. Lowery recently retired as a Lieutenant assigned to the Special Operations Divisions.

Lowery and his wife, Nikki, reside in Wake Forest, N.C. and are the proud parents of two daughters: Sierra and Isabella, who is a freshman on the Barton College Softball Team.