Derek van der Merwe, the No. 2 ranking official in Arizona’s athletic department and a longtime colleague and confidant of athletic director Dave Heeke, has been named the new AD at Bowling Green.
Bowling Green, a Mid-American Conference school located in Ohio, made the announcement early Tuesday during a livestream. Van der Merwe replaces Bob Moosbrugger, who was fired in August.
“It is an honor for me and my family to join Bowling Green State University, a community rich in tradition and history,” van der Merwe said. “I feel a great sense of responsibility to serve the people, history and legacy here at BGSU and I will work tirelessly every day to honor and live up to its legacy.”
Van der Merwe served as the UA’s associate vice president for athletics and chief operating officer, overseeing day-to-day operations and financials. He was also the “sport administrator” for football and oversaw the marketing, ticketing, communications, business operations and equipment departments.
Van der Merwe has previous athletic director experience, having served in a similar role at Austin Peay from 2013-15 before he was promoted to vice president of advancement, communication and strategic initiatives for the university. Heeke brought van der Merwe to Tucson five years ago.
Van der Merwe’s UA colleagues were among those praising Bowling Green’s hire.
“I could not be more proud of Derek’s accomplishments at Arizona,” UA president Dr. Robert C. Robbins said. “He has been an impact player during some very challenging times for all athletic programs His efforts and leadership have put us in a strong position for the future and while we hate to lose him, Bowling Green is getting a true champion to lead their athletics department.”
Football coach Jedd Fisch called van der Merwe “an incredible partner as we worked tirelessly to rebuild Arizona football.” Women’s basketball coach Adia Barnes called him “a dynamic leader with a clear vision.”
Said men’s basketball coach Tommy Lloyd: “Derek is a great guy and it was a great experience working with him the past year. He’s well-rounded in all facets of running an NCAA Athletic Department and is definitely a get-stuff done guy!! Bowling Green is getting a great person and leader who is well-equipped to lead them in the ever-evolving world of college athletics.”
A South Africa native, van der Merwe was an all-MAC offensive lineman at Central Michigan and a former team captain.Van der Merwe began his Central Michigan tenure as an academic adviser, then worked his way up to associate director of athletics. He was CMU’s chief operating officer under Heeke when he left for Austin Peay.
Heeke called van der Merwe an exceptional administrator “who always centers on the very best for student-athletes.”
“Coaches, administrators, supporters, student-athletes, community members and all associated with BGSU will love his enthusiasm, passion and vision,” Heeke said. “This is an absolute ‘home run’ hire!”
