Chowan University Athletics

Johnny Warren came to Chowan in the fall of 1954 from Rocky Mount, North Carolina and Rocky Mount High School. He was a standout football player for the Rocky Mount Blackbirds and played under Legendary N.C. Coach EE Adkins.  Warren racked up the yardage as a running back, which caught the eye of many college coaches.
 
The All-State running back took his talents to East Carolina University but after one season with the Pirates, he made his way to Murfreesboro and Chowan College. In his first season with the then-Braves, Warren ran for 1,009 yards, a new program single-season record. He also accounted for 14 touchdowns in that same season.

He was named to the NJCAA All-State Team in both his freshman and sophomore seasons at Chowan. In 1955 he helped the team to an 8-1 record and two bowl victories (Newport News Apprentice, Fork Union).
 
Following his career at Chowan, Warren joined the Army. He participated on a service football squad while stationed in Japan.  He played for the Yokoto Raiders at Yokoto Air Base for two seasons and once again proved himself on the football field.
 
After serving in the Army, Warren began a long successful career in banking before his retirement in 1998 as Vice President with Centura Bank.
 
He has contributed to the civic and religious life of his Rocky Mount community as a member of the Rocky Mount Optimist Club. In 2009 he was named to the George Whitfield Hall of Fame and is a lifetime member of Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church. In recent years he has served as a Senior Warden and Lay Eucharistic minister at Saint Andrew’s.
 
Warren is married to Vivian Williams Warren. They reside in Rocky Mount, N.C.  They are the parents of one daughter, Nancy Warren Gregory, and the grandparents of a granddaughter, Sarah Gregory, who are now deceased.