Chase Sowell’s final stop in college football has given him more than big plays and wins. It’s given him relief.
After Penn State’s 28-25 victory at Washington last Saturday, the wide receiver came off the field with plenty of energy, pumping his arm toward the Nittany Lion fans before heading to the locker room. The scene fit the way Sowell has carried himself in Happy Valley: fully engaged, fully bought in, and clearly grateful for where he landed.
That feeling came through again Wednesday when he spoke about what this season has meant.
“Everybody around this place I feel like is just so in tune with this place and loves everybody around this place,” Sowell said. “I definitely couldn't imagine a better way to end my college career. So I'm definitely blessed and definitely thankful for sure.”
Sowell has taken a winding path to get here. He spent one year at Colorado, two at East Carolina and one at Iowa State before arriving at Penn State. When he first sat down with Matt Campbell before transferring to the Cyclones, Sowell says his priorities were simple, and money wasn’t one of them.
“I told coach Campbell when I first went to Iowa State that I didn't need the money, I didn't need the NIL,” Sowell said. “I was just like, ‘Hey, I want my family to be able to come to the games, watch me.’ That was something that playing so far away, I never really got to experience.”
He also wanted something practical: a car, after getting around on a scooter at previous stops. But the bigger ask was always the same - a place where he felt cared for as a person, not just as a player.
That search got complicated early. During his freshman year at Colorado, Sowell found out he wasn’t part of Deion Sanders’ plans for the future, and he had to move on. East Carolina helped him take a step forward, but Iowa State and then Penn State - where he reunited with Campbell - gave him what he had been chasing.
“Finding a place like this to match that with (was) just like a cherry on top finding such amazing people throughout history, (the media) and the fans,” Sowell said.
The move has mattered just as much to his family. Sowell said his parents, both former collegiate athletes at Florida, understand the pressures that come with the job. His mother, Keisha, later went on to pursue a professional soccer career, so their comfort with his current situation carries real weight.
“I don't remember the last time I actually seen my mom genuinely happy and at peace,” Sowell said. “Just being mama bear, she's always had that stress over me, and making sure that I'm OK, making sure that I'm fine. But this is the first time I ever felt she’s actually fully trusting me at a place, and fully trusted the people that I'm around, and just felt comfortable where I'm at.”
Sowell said that peace has meant everything to him, especially because his parents have been such a steady force throughout his athletic journey. It also gives him a chance to do the same for his younger brother Hunter, a redshirt freshman on Penn State’s roster.
His focus, he said, has always been making sure “my family was good.” That includes trying to set the right example for Hunter.
“Just making sure that I lead him in the right direction and show him that it is possible, no matter where you come from,” Sowell said. “No matter what spot you're in right now, it doesn't matter. It's all about the ending to the race.”
Sowell’s stay at Penn State will be brief, but the impact has clearly been lasting. He says he’s found a home, and a sense of gratitude that goes beyond football.
“(Penn State) will mean everything for the times and the years to come and go on,” Sowell said. “I always look back at this place as something that saved me and my family. So I'm definitely appreciative.”
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