Administration
Welcome to Lawrence North Athletics!
Lawrence North High School offers 23 varsity sports. More than 800 students are involved in our athletic program. Every year, numerous individuals continue their athletic participation at the collegiate and professional levels.
Athletic Director - Mike Penrose
Mr. Penrose has spent his entire educational career at Lawrence North High School since he started as a mathematics teacher in 1994. He taught various courses for 18 years before moving into administration in 2012, serving as Dean of Students and then Assistant Principal before moving into the role of Athletic Director in 2015.
A graduate of New Castle High School, he set several club and school records as a member of the Trojan swim team. He graduated from Butler University in 1994. While at Butler, he was a member of the swim team, setting a school record as a member of the 200 freestyle relay.
Penrose began his coaching career at LN in 1994 as an assistant swimming coach. From 2000 – 2012, he served as the head swimming & diving coach. During this time, the Wildcats won three Marion County championships and seven IHSAA sectional titles. He and his staff produced 18 NISCA All-Americans and 19 Academic All-Americans. His fellow coaches recognized Penrose as the Sectional Coach of the Year seven times (4 boys/ 3 girls) and Marion County County Coach of the Year eleven times (6 boys/5 girls). In 2008, he received the prestigious St. Vincent Integrity Coach of the Year Award. Penrose served as President of the Indiana High School Swimming Coaches Association from 2004 – 2008, and Vice-President of the Indiana High School Swimming & Diving Hall of Fame from 2005 – 2009. He was also an assistant baseball coach for three years.
Under Penrose’s leadership, the Lawrence North athletic department received the NCAA TeamWorks Community Champion Award in 2016, the Crossroads Officials Sportsmanship Award in 2017, and the IHSAA Sportsmanship Award in 2018. Lawrence North has also been recognized as a National Safe Sport School by the National Athletic Trainer’s Association from 2018-2021. A NIAAA Certified Athletic Administrator, he currently serves on the IHSAA Sportsmanship Committee.
Mike and his wife Joy have lived in Lawrence Township for over 25 years, and have two children who attended LT schools. Emma graduated from LN in 2017 and received a degree in nursing from Purdue University. Jacob graduated from LN in 2019, and is currently a student at Wabash College majoring in environmental science/biology where he is a member of the swim team.
In his spare time, Mike enjoys golf, the outdoors, traveling, taking adventures with his family and friends, and cheering on his beloved Pittsburgh sports teams.
Assistant Athletic Director - J.T. Owens
J.T. Owens is a proud graduate of Lawrence North High School, where he excelled as a multi-sport athlete in football, basketball, and track & field. A four-year varsity contributor on the football field, he showcased his versatility playing safety, cornerback, and running back. He earned All-Conference and Regional All-Star honors for his defensive impact. On the basketball court, he played guard and was a key member of the 2005 IHSAA State Championship team. In track, he competed in the 110M hurdles, 300M hurdles, and 4x100M relay, demonstrating his athleticism across all three seasons.
Following high school, Owens continued his football career at Indiana University under Coach Terry Hoeppner and was part of the Hoosiers’ first bowl appearance in 14 years at the 2007 Insight Bowl. He later transferred to the University of Indianapolis, where he was named team co-captain and earned 2nd Team All-GLIAC honors on defense.
His passion for the game and his community brought him back to Lawrence North, where he began coaching football in 2010 under Coach Tom Dilley. From 2014 to 2017, he coached both football and track under Coach Patrick Mallory while also serving in student support roles. Since the COVID shutdown, Owens has served as the Dean of Attendance and Athletics Event Coordinator, helping lead the school’s efforts in discipline, student engagement, and athletic event operations.
Owens holds a bachelor’s degree in general studies from IUPUI, with minors in Communications and Sociology. He is currently pursuing his Master of Education through Butler University’s EPPSP program, preparing for greater leadership in education and athletics. J.T. is married to Angela Owens, an English teacher at Lawrence North, and together they are raising four children. His life and career are rooted in faith, family, and a deep commitment to mentoring the next generation of student-athletes.
Athletic Administrative Assistant - Consuelo Sanders