ZWIERLEIN TO HEAD BOWLING GREEN'S
INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETIC PROGRAM
 
BOWLING GREEN, O.--Dr. Ron Zwierlein is the new director of
intercollegiate athletics at Bowling Green State University, University
President Paul J. Olscamp announced Wednesday (July 6).
 
A member of the University staff since 1981, Zwierlein succeeds Jack
Gregory, who has directed Bowling Green's intercollegiate athletic
program the past 12 years. Gregory announced his retirement earlier
this year. The appointment is effective immediately, Olscamp said. [but
Gregory is still playing an active part in selecting the hockey
coach--KEI]
 
The 10th athletic director in BGSU history, Zwierlein is taking over a
19-sport program (10 men's and nine women's teams) that is one of the
strongest in the MAC. This past year, Bowling Green won the
conference's Reese and Jacoby trophies for overall success in both
men's and women's sports.
 
"We had some very good candidates and each had strong qualities, but
Ron Zwierlein was the best candidate to be the athletic director at
Bowling Green," Olscamp said. [Rick Comley was NOT an AD candidate--KEI]
 
"Ron brings a wealth of administrative and sports experience to the
athletic directorship. He has been an athletic director, a coach, a
manager of a large sports complex at Bowling Green and an interim vice
president for student affairs.  He knows the University and the rich
tradition of our athletic program as well as the Mid-American
Conference and he knows the budgetary realities that he will be
facing [in other words, he won't ask for too much--KEI]," Olscamp added.
 
"I have high regard for Ron's intelligence, firmness, fairness and
ability to make the hard decisions that go with being an athletic
director. He will be an outstanding athletic director and I am
delighted that he is going to continue his career at Bowling Green in
this capacity."
 
Zwierlein, who earned bachelor's and master's degrees from Bowling
Green in 1968 and 1970, respectively, received his doctorate in
athletic administration at [the--KEI] Ohio State University.
 
He started his career as a high school teacher and coach before moving
on to John Carroll University as an assistant physical education
professor and head men's and women's swimming and diving coach and
tennis coach.
 
From 1978-81 he was chair of JCU's physical education department
and director of athletics, which included fund-raising
responsibilities.
 
He came to Bowling Green as an assistant professor of health, physical
education and recreation and head coach of the men's and women's
swimming and diving teams. In 1984, he became associate director of the
Student Recreation Center and in 1991 was appointed to direct the
planning and construction of the University's $8.7 million field house.
In 1992, he was named director of recreational sports at the
University, which included supervision of all facilities, staff,
programs and financial resources associated with recreational sports.
 
Last year he added to his administrative credentials by serving as
interim vice president for student affairs.
 
Zwierlein and his wife Cynthia, a 1969 Bowling Green graduate, are the
parents of two daughters and a son.
 
 
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