Bowling Green, Ohio – Bowling Green State University today announced that it has eliminated the baseball program effective immediately. This action is being taken as part of a plan for a $2 million reduction to the operating budget of the intercollegiate athletics department.
“This was a very difficult, but necessary, decision,” Director of Athletics Bob Moosbrugger said. “As a baseball alumnus, my heart breaks for the families affected by this decision. We will ensure the student-athletes in the program have support during this challenging time. We will honor their scholarship agreements through graduation and, should they pursue their collegiate baseball career elsewhere, we will assist in the process of finding a new home.”
With the change, BGSU will now sponsor 17 NCAA Division I sports (six men’s sports and 11 women’s sports). The move affects 34 student-athletes and three coaches.
“While we remain committed to supporting Division I athletics programs, we must do this in a financially sustainable approach,” said BGSU President Rodney K. Rogers. “We have made the difficult decision to eliminate the baseball program due to financial constraints. This decision was not made lightly, and does not reflect the rich history of the program, including five Mid-American Conference championships and four NCAA regional appearances.”
Also today, BGSU announced the restructuring of the Department of Recreation and Wellness to the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics.
“We have spent the recent days identifying opportunities to align functional areas to share resources and streamline practices,” BGSU President Rodney K. Rogers announced today. “I have also asked Bob Moosbrugger to assume an expanded role as Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, Recreation and Wellness. He will now provide oversight for all athletic facility operations and integrate our student recreation and wellness programs to focus on physical wellness of not just our Division I student-athletes, but each student.”
Further details regarding the decision can be found in our FAQ document, available by CLICKING HERE (PDF).
