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Chris Lowery was hired as an assistant coach on the Fighting Illini basketball staff on May 7, 2003.
Lowery arrives at Illinois after serving as an assistant under Weber at Southern Illinois the past two seasons. He helped the Salukis to a 52-15 (.776) record and two trips to the NCAA Tournament, including a run to the Sweet Sixteen in 2002 and back-to-back Missouri Valley Conference championships.
The Evansville, Ind. native was a four-year letterwinner at Southern Illinois, helping lead the team to two straight NCAA Tournament appearances in 1993 and '94 after consecutive NIT berths in 1991 and '92. The three-year starting point guard was a second-team All-Missouri Valley selection in 1992. Lowery scored 1,225 career points and dished out 391 assists, ranking third in school history on the career assists chart. SIU went 86-37 (.699) during his four years.
Lowery began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Rend Lake Community College in Ina, Ill. for two seasons. He then coached at Missouri Southern State College for three years, helping the Lions to a 30-3 record and an NCAA Division II Final Four appearance in 2000.
Prior to his coaching tenure at Southern Illinois, Lowery spent one season as an assistant at Southeast Missouri State under Gary Garner.
"Chris worked very hard the past two years as an assistant at Southern Illinois," Weber said. "He does a great job with recruiting and has a good relationship with the players. He has plenty of experience, having played four years at SIU and then working his way up in the coaching profession the past eight years. I'm thrilled to have Chris join the staff here at Illinois."
Lowery, 30, graduated from Southern Illinois in 1996 with a bachelor's degree in physical education. He and his wife, Erika have three children, Lexis, C.J. and Kahari.
The Chris Lowery File
Born: July 7, 1972
Hometown: Evansville, Ind.
High School: Harrison
College: Southern Illinois University (B.S, Physical Education, '96)
Family: Wife, Erika; Daughter, Lexis (8); Son, C.J. (3); Son, Kahari (1)
Coaching Experience: 1996-97 Rend Lake Community College, Assistant Coach
1998-2000 Missouri Southern State College, Assistant Coach
2001 Southeast Missouri State University, Assistant Coach
2002-03 Southern Illinois University, Assistant Coach
