Bowling Green State University baseball program saved by alumni, donors
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (BVM) — The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on college sports. With no NCAA men’s basketball tournament, no spring sports and the potential of a lost fall sports season which would take away the revenue made from college football, schools across the country are taking massive hits financially.
This has led to numerous college athletic programs being cut at all levels. On May 15, Bowling Green State University (BGSU) joined that list, cutting their baseball program. The Falcons baseball team had been around for over a century since it first began play in 1918.
The program has made multiple NCAA Tournament appearances while also winning the Mid American Conference five times. BGSU has also produced several professional players – most notably former Los Angeles Dodgers star and 1988 World Series MVP, Orel Hershiser.
Bowling Green had started this year’s season 2-11, and has not had a winning campaign in the past decade. It is clear they lack recent success, but even their historic past was not enough to save the program.
In mid-May, BGSU athletic director Bob Moosburger – a former baseball player at the university himself – made the difficult decision of discontinuing the baseball program at Bowling Green. The school was looking at a projected $29 million deficit over the next year in large part due to the effects of the coronavirus, and was aiming to cut $2 million from its athletic budget to help cope with the loss.
Cutting the baseball program was projected to save the university around $500,000 annually. After a Zoom call with Moosburger informing them of the news, many players were left shocked and devastated. After the call, the AD had this to say in a press release:
“This was a very difficult, but necessary, decision,” 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.”
Bowling Green became one of many Division I schools to cut athletic programs, but was one of the first to eliminate their school’s baseball team. Some other significant cuts across the country include Akron cutting their men’s golf, men’s cross country, and women’s tennis programs, Old Dominion cutting men’s wrestling, Boise State cutting baseball along with swimming and diving and Cincinnati cutting men’s soccer.
Needless to say, the financial impact of no college sports has hit hard, and it initially looked like BGSU was just another victim. Several players would look to transfer from the program right away. A handful of players actually did so, including Nick Neibauer, Jeremy Spezia, Trent Farquhar, Jay Ward, and Mason Kolean.
However, the most notable transfer came from outfielder Jake Wilson, who will now play college baseball at Liberty University. Wilson was a two-time MAC defensive team member and led the Falcons with 54 hits in the 2019 season.
In all, the cut was set to impact 34 players along with three coaches according to BGSU. But as heartbreaking as this situation was for the current players, it was perhaps even tougher for the former Falcons. That is when they decided to step in.
Numerous baseball alumni — including notable former players like Hershiser, as well as donors — decided to form a fundraising group called Save BGSU Baseball. The goal for the group was to raise $1.5 million, which would help fund the baseball program for the next three years. The push to save BGSU baseball came together quickly, and after just 18 days, the university reinstated the program effective immediately. Shortly after, the school released this statement:
“After very positive and productive dialogue with alumni and former student-athletes nationwide, Bowling Green State University is pleased to reinstate its baseball program effective immediately.”
“In just days, our passionate baseball alumni and donors have committed $1.5 million over the next three years. During this time, the University, in partnership with a select group of baseball alumni, will pursue a long-term funding solution to sustain and support the program.”
“BGSU is grateful for its alumni and friends who have stepped up during this difficult time to ensure their alma mater is positioned to thrive on the other side of the current COVID-19 crisis. We are inspired by the efforts of our baseball alumni, and we look forward to continuing to cultivate and reinvigorate all BGSU alumni. We are excited for Opening Day in the spring. Ay Ziggy Zoomba!”
After the reinstatement, BGSU announced changes in the structure of their baseball team. Danny Schmitz — head coach for 30 years and three-time MAC Coach of the Year — has been moved to an advisory role where he will work to cultivate alumni relationships.
That means assistant Kyle Hallock will take over the interim head coaching role. He will be joined by current Falcons assistant Ryan Shay.
It was a tremendous effort by alumni and donors that can hopefully serve as an inspiration and potential blueprint for other college athletic programs going through similar situations. It is sad to see some of these historic programs being cut, but with temporary help, many may live to see the other side after this pandemic.
