In the 1997-98 season, co-captain Sean McDowell of the Biola basketball team helped lead the Eagles to a 30-7 record in his senior year. The echoes of the basketball bouncing and the squeaks of shoes on the hardwood are no longer distant memories for the former Eagle but are alive and present. Cheering now from the sidelines of Chase Gymnasium, the same court where he once played, he watches as his son Scott McDowell continues the legacy, representing the same team he once led. The legacy endures, now shaped by the coach who once mentored him through the sport. Talk about deja vu.
PROLOGUE
In his post-playing days, Sean McDowell has brought his knowledge back to his alma mater as an associate professor of Christian Apologetics. After he played for Biola for four years, he coached with Dave Holmquist, the longtime leader of the men’s basketball program, a few years afterward.
Sean McDowell takes pride in the basketball program and the school. “You’re representing family members, representing alumni … representing Christ on the court,” Sean McDowell said. “It’s not just a sport, and it’s not just a game. It’s part of a larger legacy of what Biola is about.”
According to Holmquist, “When you are part of Biola basketball, you’re part of a history. You’re part of a tradition … When you play here, you represent former players and the school program, and that would be God-honoring.”
Holmquist reflected on his 30 or so years of friendship with Sean McDowell.
“Sean has certainly represented all that you would want a Biola basketball player to be, both when he was here as a player and what he has done in his life since that time,” said Homquist.
As Sean McDowell reflects on Holmquist’s mentorship, he notes the lasting impact it has had on his family.
“The wisdom he taught me has the same influence on my son. I mean, that’s priceless,” Sean McDowell said.
The dribble of Sean’s past now meets the present with his Scott’s as the McDowell namesake, both past and present, represents the essence of “What it means to be an Eagle.”
THE LEGACY CONTINUES
Sophomore business student Scott McDowell states, “Basketball has just always been in my blood. There’s not been a day ever since I was a little kid, and I’ve always had a ball in my hands playing.”
Scott McDowell joined the basketball program last season and understands the magnitude of being an Eagle.
“We have to carry ourselves to a degree where we are always trying to share the gospel,” Scott McDowell said. “As an athlete, I think that can sometimes be hard because you want to compete … [You have] to know who you’re playing for. The coaching staff and my dad instilled in me that I’m not playing for myself. I am playing for an audience of one. I’m playing for Jesus.”
Scott McDowell’s dream was to play at Biola since he was a kid. He grew up hearing stories of Holmquist. His father would use the same metaphors in life as the coach did.
“I always wanted to play for Holmquist, just like my dad did,” Scott McDowell said. “And I told myself as a kid … I’m going to play here someday.”
That is just what Scott McDowell did. Last year, he played point guard as a freshman and lived his dream.
When Scott McDowell first played for Holmquist, the moment took a minute to set in.
“It fully clicked when I was in practice and when the coach was like, ‘bring it in,’” Scott McDowell said. “It was a crazy moment … He’s coaching me up. … It’s really special to be able to see those [stories] and laugh too because I’m like, I’ve heard that before. So it’s really special … Holmquist is very wise.”
Coach Holmquist believes Scott is full of passion.
“He wants the best for his team and teammates,” Holmquist said. “Scott is starting his second year [with the Eagles], and he has a lot of the great McDowell family character … Scott’s gonna do really well in life. Whatever he ends up doing, he’s going to make a real contribution to the lives of a lot of people.”
Sean McDowell is a thrilled dad and enjoys watching his son’s journey.
“Scott is a natural leader,” Sean McDowell stated. “I hope he has the same amazing experiences with his coaches, professors, and teammates as I did. Some of the most important relationships in my life were formed at Biola, and I just hope and pray his experience is the same.”
The McDowell legacy is deeply rooted in family ties and a shared passion for basketball. Their commitment to the game and dedication to Christian values embody the spirit of Biola basketball.
