Cascade Sports recently had the pleasure of interviewing Bree Fowler, a former Mizzou basketball player and one of the few female officials for the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) basketball State Championship. Bree recently had the unique experience of refereeing what she considers the most thrilling game of her career. Remarkably, she was the sole female official invited to referee games in classes 4-6, marking a significant personal achievement.
Bree, a 27-year-old Kansas City, Missouri native, has been passionate about the game since she was four years old. Her journey with basketball has seen her play, coach, train, and officiate. During her four-year varsity basketball stint at Staley High School, she received All-Conference, All-District, and All-State honors. In her junior year, she accepted a full-ride scholarship from the University of Missouri-Columbia, where she scored 1K points in her senior year.
Bree enjoyed her four-year career at Mizzou, where she was recognized as an All-American in Strength and Conditioning from 2013 to 2015. She played as a power forward in the Big 12 and as a small forward in the SEC.
After college, Bree took a break to pursue a career in nursing. While waiting for acceptance into an accelerated nursing program, she joined some former and future WNBA players and competed in the WBCA Semi-Pro league. Shortly after, she was offered the opportunity to coach the freshman girls’ team at her alma mater high school, a role she held for two years. She found joy in giving back to the community where she grew up.
Currently, while completing her coursework and clinical for nursing school, Bree continues to find time for the sport she loves. She works with young athletes to develop their skills and coaches a competitive girls’ team. She is also focusing more on officiating.
When she’s not coaching, training, studying, or officiating, Bree enjoys spending time with her family and dogs. She loves meeting new people and exchanging perspectives.