(LEBANON, Ill., June 5)—McKendree University director of athletics Chuck Brueggemann recently announced the addition of Beth Bowers to the Bearcats' athletic administrative staff. Bowers will serve as the Bearcats' assistant director of athletics as well as the department's Senior Woman Administrator. She will begin her new position on Aug. 3.
 
A familiar face to many around the Great Lakes Valley Conference, Bowers comes to McKendree after spending the last year as a marketing and promotions assistant at the University of Indianapolis. She also served as the director of game day operations for the 2020 GLVC Men's and Women's Basketball Tournament held in nearby Edwardsville, Ill. Bowers also spent the 2018-19 academic year as an intern within the GLVC office, where she learned valuable skills and insight into intercollegiate athletics administration, championship administration, event management and compliance operations.
 
"Beth will be an outstanding addition to our administrative team," said Brueggemann. "She has already gained a wealth of knowledge of the GLVC with her experience at two exceptional peer institutions as well as the conference office. I have had the pleasure of working with Beth during multiple conference championship events and her leadership skills stood out every time. She brings a vibrance, work ethic and energy that will serve McKendree well."
 
Along with her administrative experience within the GLVC, Bowers was a four-year member of the women's basketball program at Bellarmine University. As a senior for the Knights, she finished third on the team in scoring at 10.4 points per game and was the team's second-leading rebounder with five per contest. She started 22 of Bellarmine's 26 games in her final season of competition in 2017-18.
 
 "I'm extremely excited to be joining the staff at McKendree," said Bowers. "I am greatly appreciative to Chuck Brueggemann for entrusting me with this position. I want to help the Bearcats' athletic department to continue to grow and achieve great things within the GLVC. I believe my experiences within the GLVC the last couple of years have helped prepare me for this opportunity."
 
Bowers, a native of Indianapolis, Ind., earned her bachelor's degree from Bellarmine in 2018 and completed work for her master's degree this spring.
 
"We were fortunate to have Beth as our GLVC intern for the 2018-19 academic year," said Jim Naumovich, commissioner of the GLVC. "She was an integral member of our staff who took on additional responsibilities with the production of our "Someone to Listen" PSA series and the creation of new designs for apparel items sold in the GLVC Fan Shop at our championship events. Beth has an engaging personality with a collaborative work style that will serve her well in this new position. McKendree University has made a great hire."
 
McKendree University will enter its ninth season of competition as GLVC members in the 2020-21 academic year. This past year, the Bearcats claimed their third consecutive GLVC men's wrestling championship. McKendree also won conference regular-season championships in men's and women's soccer, while the men's swimming and diving team registered a second place finish at the GLVC Championships in February. Women's bowling, which became GLVC members this past year, was ranked No. 1 in the National Collegiate Tenpin Association (NTCA) coaches poll, which is the official bowling rankings for the NCAA.
 
In addition to the success within the GLVC, many more McKendree programs enjoyed great success in 2019-20. The women's wrestling team won its second consecutive National Collegiate Wrestling Association (NCWA) national duals title before adding the National Collegiate Women's Wrestling Championship crown to its resume. Men's bowling held the No. 1 ranking in both the International Bowling Media Association (IBMA) and National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association (NCBCA) polls. In the first year as members of Midwest College Hockey (MCH), the McKendree D1 men's hockey program rolled to a 20-5-1 record and captured the MCH regular-season and post-season titles. And the Bearcats' bass fishing squad has maintained the top ranking in the School of the Year standings and is poised to make a push for its second consecutive national championship.