Sowell won her first and only senior national title at the 1989 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, taking the 100 m crown in 11.12 seconds, ahead of Sheila Echols and Esther Jones. Her only international appearance for the United States followed at the 1989 IAAF World Cup, where she was a member of the bronze medal-winning 4 × 100-meter relay team alongside Echols, Jones and Wendy Vereen. She was tipped to be the next FloJo , but retired from track and field due to chronic injury problems. Sowell is now a public speaker, focusing on health and wellness.