The University of Houston has fired strength coach Minor Bowens after a dozen women's soccer players experienced rhabdomyolysis following a recent workout.
University officials informed KPRC's Channel 2 Investigates of the firing Wednesday. KPRC broke the rhabdo story last week. At that time, UH women's soccer coach Diego Bocanegra was vague about Bowens' status, stating only, "As of right now, Minor Bowens does not work with the soccer team any longer."
The University of Houston has fired strength coach Minor Bowens after a dozen women's soccer players experienced rhabdomyolysis following a recent workout.
University officials informed KPRC's Channel 2 Investigates of the firing Wednesday. KPRC broke the rhabdo story last week. At that time, UH women's soccer coach Diego Bocanegra was vague about Bowens' status, stating only, "As of right now, Minor Bowens does not work with the soccer team any longer."
Likewise, university representatives were not at liberty to discuss Bowens' employment status last Friday. However, the school did send a snapshot following a Texas Public Information Act request showing Bowens was terminated Tuesday. The University of Houston has since removed Bowens' professional profile, which listed him officially as assistant director for sports performance, from its site.Â
Rhabdomyolysis is the damaging of muscle tissue brought on by extreme exertion. Severe cases can lead to kidney failure.
Houston is not the first school to discipline a strength coach over a rhabdo case. In January 2017, the University of Oregon suspended Irele Oderinde, who had just joined the Ducks' football staff as head strength and conditioning coach, for one month without pay after three players were hospitalized following a workout. A year later, Oderinde left Oregon for Florida State University.
