Cal Poly Athletics Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 2002
Carl Bowser was a fullback for the Mustangs. He rushed for 620 yards and seven touchdowns in 1959 and 288 yards and two scores in the 1960 campaign, averaging 6.6 yards per carry in his career. He also caught seven passes in two seasons, one for a touchdown.
He was a 1962 Cal Poly graduate with a bachelor's degree in physical education and earned his master's degree in education one year later.
An all-conference football player at Bakersfield College, Carl went on to coach football at Burroughs (Ridgecrest) and Shafter high schools, then returned to Bakersfield College as an assistant coach in 1967, taking over as head coach in 1984. He retired in 1994 after 11 seasons at the helm, compiling an impressive 83-31-1 record with eight conference championships, one state title and one national championship. His teams played in six bowl games and he was a four-time conference coach of the year and California Community College Coach of the Year in 1988.
Carl, who survived the1960 Cal Poly plane crash, also was director of athletics at Bakersfield College for seven years, passed away in July of 2024. He was also inducted into the Kern County Sports Hall of Fame as well as the Bakersfield College Football Hall of Fame.
