BOWLING GREEN — After two months of searching, Bowling Green finally has its new athletic director.
The Falcons tabbed Derek van der Merwe for their athletic director opening, vacated by the August firing of former athletic director and Bowling Green baseball alumnus Bob Moosbrugger. Stacy Kosciak served as interim athletic director before van der Merwe’s hiring.
Here are five things to know about van der Merwe as he takes charge of a department in flux amid college athletics’ brave new world.
He was a late comer to his sport
van der Merwe did not take up the game of football until his senior year of high school in Holly, Mich. He had been a violinist. He learned quickly, eventually playing offensive line on a Central Michigan team that won the MAC title in 1994.
He carries with him memories of life in South Africa
van der Merwe’s parents were missionaries, and he was born and raised in South Africa. van der Merwe’s father’s anti-apartheid sensibilities forced his family to move abroad. Addressing media after his introductory press conference, he cited the 1995 Rugby World Cup Final — in which South Africa defeated New Zealand and Nelson Mandela presented the trophy — as an example of the unifying power of sport.
He played against Bowling Green in college
Addressing the media, van der Merwe said he has seen “many games” over the years at Bowling Green. His teams have played in a few, too. During van der Merwe’s Central Michigan career, the Chippewas were 3-2 against the Falcons. None of the five games were decided by fewer than seven points, giving the future athletic director a taste of Bowling Green’s close-game atmosphere.
He started life as an academic adviser
“I was actually asked to be a coach — to become a graduate assistant in football,” van der Merwe said. More interested in breaking into athletics administration, van der Merwe took a job tutoring athletes at Central Michigan. He cited the experience as giving him valuable insight into “seeing the industry that supports athletes’ success.”
He’s no stranger to renovations
The news story of the moment in Bowling Green athletics from a construction standpoint is the renovation of Slater Family Ice Arena, slated to begin in the spring of 2023. In terms of finding a leader with experience overseeing such projects, the Falcons could hardly have found a more experienced candidate than van der Merwe. Central Michigan’s McGuirk Arena got a much-needed facelift during his tenure, and Austin Peay upgraded its aging football stadium at a $16 million price tag.
First Published October 25, 2022, 8:28 p.m.
