Born in Spencer, North Carolina, Buddy Lowery was a standout athlete at North Rowan High School in football, track and field, and wrestling. He was All-Conference and All-County in football, a conference champion in discus, and placed 5th at the state meet in shot put. Wrestling for Coach Ralph Shatterly, Lowery was part of state championship teams in 1969 and 1970 and finished 3rd in the WNCHSAA at 185 lbs. in 1970.

After graduating from North Rowan in 1970, Lowery attended Fork Union Military Academy for one year before accepting a scholarship to play football at East Carolina University. From 1972 to 1975, Lowery played defensive end as part of the “Wild Dogs” defensive unit and was on two Southern Conference Championship teams while at ECU.

In 1976, Lowery became the fourth wrestling coach at Davie County High School in Mocksville, a position he would remain in for 43 seasons before retiring in 2019. Lowery’s career record of 913-136-2 is the North Carolina state record for most dual-meet wins by a coach and includes 40 consecutive winning seasons from 1980 to 2019. His teams won NCHSAA State Dual Meet Championships in 1994 and 2006 and the NCHSAA State Individual tournament in 1995. His teams finished as runner-up six times in the dual meet championships and six times in the state individual tournament.

Lowery was recognized as the NC MAT NEWS Coach of the Year in 1994 and 2006. In 1996, Coach Lowery received a National Wrestling Coaches Association Excellence Award. He is a member of the Davie County High School Hall of Fame (2006), the North Carolina Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame (2009), and the Salisbury-Rowan Sports Hall of Fame (2012).