Franklin Lowery has resigned as East Lincoln High School varsity women’s basketball coach to take the same job at Lincoln Charter, according to the Gaston Gazette.

A 1975 East Lincoln graduate, Lowery led his alma mater to a 23-6 record and second-place finish in the Southern Piedmont Conference two season ago. During the 2010-11 campaign, the Mustangs went 14-1. Lowery inherits an Lincoln Charter program that went 18-8 last season.

Lowery is pastor at Gold Hill Missionary Baptist Church in Stanley, which is located a short drive from the Lincoln Charter campus. He did not teach at East Lincoln and will not at Lincoln Charter.

The coach graduated in 1980 from Belmont Abbey College, where he majored in recreation and minored in sociology. He later served on the Belmont Abbey coaching staff for more than 20 years. Lowery has also coached at East Lincoln Middle and Lincolnton High.

Lowery is the founder of the Don’t Foul Out Program, which helps students achieve social, academic and athletic success. He runs several basketball camps in the community for the Lincolnton Housing Authority Youth Program, in which he has served as Tenant Program Coordinator for 12 years.

Lowery takes over for Daniel Schmitz, who after coaching the team for one season will take on added administrative duties at Lincoln Charter.