BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Bowling Green State University has announced the contract extension and expansion of duties for Athletics Director Derek van der Merwe.

At their February meeting, the BGSU Board of Trustees approved an expanded portfolio for van der Merwe as vice president for athletics strategy and director of athletics, with a contract extension through June 2030.

Van der Merwe was hired in October 2022 as the University's 15th director of athletics. He oversees 18 sports programs in the Mid-American Conference at Bowling Green, with 450 student-athletes, as well as 35 club sports with 800 participants. Under his leadership, he has hired eight head coaches and grown student and community engagement with BGSU Athletics.

"Since his first day on the job, Derek has hit the ground not just running, but sprinting, providing a forward-thinking, holistic experience for our student-athletics, supporters and students," BGSU President Rodney K. Rogers said. "The rapidly changing and increasingly complex landscape of Division I athletics, as well as public higher education, requires strong leadership during this transformational time for the collegiate athletics model. We are grateful for Derek's commitment and work in leveraging the role of athletics at a comprehensive university, with his vision absolutely contributing to the momentum we are seeing at Bowling Green."

Under van der Merwe's leadership, BGSU Athletics has set record giving for unique donors and has successfully collaborated with supporters in growing NIL opportunities for student-athletes. He has also achieved the highest grade point average for student-athletes in University history, with a 91% graduation rate, and has integrated the University's groundbreaking Life Design program across the department, equipping student-athletes with skills for great careers and great lives.

"I would like to sincerely thank President Rogers and the Board of Trustees for their continued support of my leadership," van der Merwe said. "During the last two years, I have had the chance to immerse myself into a campus community that starts in Bowling Green, Ohio, with its students, faculty and staff, and reaches across the country and around the world through its alumni. BGSU continues to be a fast-growing and highly vibrant community because of the great people and leaders in this community who are passionate about this University's focused mission of supporting, first and foremost, the student experience. I am very grateful for the continued opportunity to serve in this work, striving for excellence in all areas to move BGSU forward."

Van der Merwe came to Bowling Green from the University of Arizona, where he served as the associate vice president and chief operations officer with the University of Arizona Athletics. Prior to his role at the University of Arizona, van der Merwe was the vice president of advancement, communication and strategic initiatives at Austin Peay State University in Tennessee, where he also previously served as director of intercollegiate athletics. He started his career as an academic advisor at Central Michigan University and worked his way up to chief operating officer and deputy athletics director.

Born and raised in South Africa, van der Merwe attended Central Michigan University, where he was a student-athlete and earned Academic All-MAC honors as a co-captain of CMU football in 1995.