(LEBANON, Ill., Aug. 10)—McKendree University President Daniel C. Dobbins announced on Monday that Chuck Brueggemann '88, who has served as the Bearcats' director of athletics since July 2012, will be transitioning to a new role.
 
President Dobbins said that Brueggemann will continue to serve the University on a part-time basis as a consultant to both the athletic department and the Office of the President. With Brueggemann's departure from the day-to-day operations of the McKendree athletic department, Associate Director of Athletics Anthony Francis has been named interim director of athletics for the Bearcats.
 
"We are extremely appreciative of the leadership Chuck has provided and the impressive accomplishments that we have experienced during his tenure as director of athletics at the University," said President Dobbins. "His leadership was key to our successful transition from NAIA membership to competing at the Division II level with teams routinely vying for national championships. As an alum of the University, Chuck has always been passionate about McKendree.  As director of athletics, he has had a significant impact on the lives of our student-athletes, our coaches and the campus community. Through his hard work and dedication, Chuck has prepared the department to continue to operate at a high level."
 
Brueggemann's contributions to McKendree athletics are noteworthy and will serve as a legacy to his alma mater. Those contributions include leading the University through the final phase of its transition to NCAA Division II membership; team and individual success at the conference, regional and national levels; consistent growth of the athletic department in terms of both total programs and number of student-athletes; expansion of facilities and improvements to existing venues; understanding the value of branding and enhanced game-day experiences; and unparalleled academic achievements by the Bearcat athletes.
 
"I have been blessed to serve some of the best coaches, staff and administrators in NCAA Division II athletics during my time as director of athletics at McKendree," said Brueggemann. "They have motivated my service for eight years through their resilience, creativity, aspiration and drive to produce better results season after season. It has been nothing short of inspirational. Student-athletes have provided daily inspiration through their sacrifice and desire for success that were nothing short of remarkable. I will miss watching them grow into high achieving, successful community leaders.
 
"I would be remiss not thanking former President Dr. James Dennis for providing the opportunity to serve my alma mater and fulfill the dream of a lifetime. Longtime friend, fellow alum and current McKendree President Dan Dobbins '81 will continue to offer outstanding vision and leadership for the future of university," Brueggemann continued.
 
In McKendree's eight years under the NCAA banner, University teams have combined for 20 regular-season and/or post-season titles within the GLVC and other associate conference memberships. McKendree has seen 22 of its athletic programs compete in an NCAA or comparable national championship events. The McKendree women's bowling program captured the 2017 NCAA National Collegiate Women's Bowling Championship title, defeating the University of Nebraska in the live televised finals on ESPN to win the University's first NCAA-era national championship. Men's bowling won two national titles in a three-year span, while the bass fishing team was named national school of the year each of the past two seasons; the women's wrestling program recently garnered two national titles.
 
Prior to the onset of a global pandemic caused by the COVID-19 virus, McKendree either won or sat near the top of the Great Lakes Valley Conference championship ledger in six different sports. The Bearcats earned two national titles and were poised to compete for championships in four other sports.
 
Brueggemann, known for his ability to recognize, recruit and retain great coaches, watched as several were recognized with National Coach of the Year honors, in particular, women's bowling coach Shannon O'Keefe led the way while being named national coach of the year for the past five consecutive years. Her peer, Dennis Knepper, head coach of the men's bowling program, earned the same distinction in 2018-19. James Kisgen, head men's wrestling coach, received the honor in 2018, while his counterpart Sam Schmitz, head women's wrestling coach, collected the honor in 2019-20. Water polo head coach Colleen Lischwe added her name to the exclusive list as she collected the 2018 National Coach of the Year Award.
 
During Brueggemann's tenure men's and women's swimming and diving, men's and women's water polo, women's ice hockey, bass fishing, women's lacrosse, men's and women's powerlifting, women's wrestling, men's volleyball and men's and women's rugby were added to the teams McKendree fielded. To facilitate the additional programs, McKendree partnered with a private developer to make available the McKendree Metro Rec Plex, the McKendree Sports Performance Center, and the McKendree Wrestling Center.
 
Under the mantra of "Education through Athletics," the Bearcats boasted a record 315 Academic All-Conference honorees during the 2019-20 academic year. McKendree student-athletes combined for a 3.31 grade-point average at the conclusion of the 2019-20 academic year. A total of 32 Bearcat athletic programs boasted a cumulative GPA of 3.0 and above, with 21 of those teams surpassing a 3.3 GPA. An impressive 599 student-athletes finished the year above the 3.0 threshold for grade-point average, including 490 who produced a 3.3 GPA or higher.