Athlete Profile: Tanner Lowe, Men's Soccer

Like many of his Eutectic teammates, freshman Tanner Lowe (FR/Sycamore, Ill.) arrived on campus this fall excited about his future at St. Louis College of Pharmacy and the opportunity to play college soccer. But, Lowe soon had another reason to be excited: his horse, Titan's Black Majick, had just won a blue ribbon, a bronze medal, and was chosen as the judges' favorite at the American Warmblood Society (AWS) inspection near his hometown in Kingston, Ill.

Lowe was born into a horse family with each parent operating separate 30-horse farms. His mother owns Hendrik Stables in Kingston and his father owns Runaway Ranch just a half hour away in Sycamore, where he went to high school. Lowe has been riding since he was a toddler and began competing in mounted shooting when he was five, and dressage when he turned 10.

In his many years around horses, Lowe has been bucked off, stepped on, kicked, and bit. "I don't have enough fingers to count how many times I've been injured by a horse or fallen off," said Lowe. Perhaps the injuries he sustained from horses over the years helped prepare him for the intense physical demands of the contact sport of soccer (for which he has suffered a broken nose and two broken fingers). But, riding has also been a source of relaxation for Lowe. "It's kind of like driving a car," said Lowe. "You just relax. You feel free."

Horses have also taught him leadership, compassion, balance, control, and patience, which has transferred well into soccer and life, which threw him a curve when he 12 years old. At that time, Lowe was diagnosed with a brain tumor the size of a tangerine in the back of his head. He endured surgery to remove the tumor, made a full recovery, and now organizes an annual brain tumor awareness golf outing in May, which is brain tumor awareness month. Lowe's triumph over the life-threatening experience makes his accomplishments in school, soccer, and horsemanship shine that much brighter.

Lowe racked up several of those accomplishments this fall. The judges at the AWS competition may have noticed Titan's Black Majick exuding the poised and confident qualities of his owner. Judged on looks, movement, and attitude, Titan's Black Majick beat out about 30 other horses at the regional competition on August 27. That same weekend, as he prepared for his first collegiate soccer game, Lowe was elected vice president of the 2017 STLCOP freshman class.

As his first semester at STLCOP comes to a close, it is safe to say that Tanner Lowe has had some things to celebrate this fall. After finals, he'll be heading back home to spend time with his family, and his prize-winning horse, over the semester break.