Heather Owen

Heather M. Owen’s athletics career took her around the globe, however, the Idaho native still lights up when asked about her home state. Born in 1976, Owen grew up in Moscow, Idaho and is proud to have competed for the Russell Elementary School Rams, the Moscow Junior High School Cubs, and the Moscow High School Bears.

During her time as a Moscow Bear (1991-1994), Owen participated in volleyball, basketball, and track and field. The Moscow High School volleyball team placed third in the A-2 State Championship during Owen’s senior year, the basketball team won the A-2 State Championship three consecutive years (1992-1994), and the track and field team won the A-2 State Championship in 1992. Owen earned a number of individual honors during her time as a Moscow Bear, including,

• National Honor Society member
• Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) All-American (1993, 1994)
• Idaho’s Gatorade Player of the Year (1993, 1994)
• Idaho High School A-2 Player of the Year (1993, 1994)
• Converse’s Idaho Player of the Year (1994)
• Kodak All-America Team (1994)
• Second Team Parade Magazine All-American (1994)
• Second Team All-American by Street & Smith’s (1994)
• Third Team USA Today All-American (1994)
• Earned seven titles at Idaho State Track and Field Championships (1992-1994)
• Shot Put, Discus, High Jump, and 400 Meter Relay Team Champion (1992)
• Shot Put and Discus Champion (1993)
• Shot Put Champion (1994)
  • Remains the Idaho State record holder in the shot put (48’1) and the Moscow
• High School record holder in the discus (140’).
  • Gatorade Circle of Champions Track and Field Idaho Athlete of the Year (1994)

Upon graduation from Moscow High School in 1994, Owen began her career at Stanford University (1994- 1998), where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in Sociology. During her time on the Farm, Owen played four years on the women’s basketball team and earned Pacific-10 (Pac- 10) Conference All-Academic honors, as well as, Stanford Athletics Department Honor Roll recognition.

Owen’s teams won four Pac-10 Conference Championships while appearing in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Tournament all four years, including three Final Four appearances. During her collegiate career, Owen also competed for USA Basketball on the West Olympic Festival Team (1995) and the U.S. Select Team (1996). After graduation from Stanford, Owen was drafted by the Portland Power of the American Basketball League (ABL) (1998); played a season in Rennes, France for Avenir de Rennes of the French Federation of Basketball (1999); and spent two seasons with the Washington Mystics of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) (1999, 2000).

Owen retired from professional basketball in 2001, earned her Juris Doctor (JD) from Santa Clara University School of Law in 2003, and is currently the Senior Associate Athletics Director, Development, at Stanford University. Owen credits her family for their unwavering support and guidance through the many ups and downs and life lessons imparted through sport. Her late father, Glenn, was her strongest advocate and ally; her mother, Sandra, is her biggest fan and attended the majority of her athletics contests (all while raising a family and working fulltime); and her brother, Drew, refused to cut her any slack and taught her that anything is possible.

Owen is honored and humbled by her selection to the Idaho Sports Hall of Fame, and wishes to thank all those who shared in the journey (family, teammates, coaches, staff, and fans).