Falcon Insider with Derek van der Merwe: Dec. 17

12/17/2025

Important news happening in and around Bowling Green Athletics compiled by Vice President for Athletics Strategy and Director of Athletics Derek van der Merwe. This Falcon Insider shares upcoming dates to remember and news to be aware of in regards to Bowling Green State University Athletics.

BGSU Football V Liberty, Homecoming, Doyt Perry Stadium, drone, aerial, September 13, 2025, Bell2025, Craig Bell photo

Doyt Perry Stadium hosted record crowds in 2025.

Dear Falcon Family,

As we turn the page toward a new calendar year, I continue to be inspired by the momentum, pride, and purpose that define Bowling Green State University. Everywhere I go — on our campus, across our community, and throughout the country — the passion for the Orange and Brown is unmistakable.

This fall, you delivered one of the greatest seasons of support for football in Doyt Perry Stadium history. 111,335 fans came through the gates — a stadium record since the venue’s current configuration opened in 2007.

Our games against Toledo and Liberty both cracked the stadium’s Top-25 all-time attendance list. We posted a 38.9 percent year-over-year increase in attendance — No. 2 in all of FBS. The Battle of I-75 game was the first football sellout since 2007, and it generated the highest revenue from a single event in BGSU Athletics history.

Our average overall attendance and student attendance were the highest since the current configuration was established.

I also want to take a moment to recognize Finn Hogan, whose impact on our football program extended far beyond the field. Finn graduated and concluded his playing eligibility in 2025, but his legacy will be felt for years to come. In this new era of NIL, Finn instinctively understood the power of creativity, authenticity, and storytelling. His foresight and entrepreneurial mindset were the spark that ignited the Pudge the Cat phenomenon — an idea rooted in organic, grassroots storytelling that connected instantly with fans. What started as a creative concept quickly grew into something extraordinary, as Pudge became a global story that resonated well beyond Bowling Green. Within just two weeks of the season, that authentic momentum generated more than one billion earned media views worldwide. In 2025, three storylines — led by Pudge the Cat, head coach Eddie George, and the NFL Draft journey and early professional success of Harold Fannin — powered BGSU Football’s digital presence to unprecedented heights. As we close the year, football social media engagement has surpassed two million interactions, with content viewed more than 60 million times, all program records. Finn exemplifies what it means to be innovative, bold, and forward-thinking, and he leaves BGSU Athletics better positioned for the future because of it. You can read more about Finn by clicking here.

As Finn’s story continues, I would be remiss not to acknowledge that Pudge’s dad, George Carlson, also concluded his eligibility in 2025 and now leaves Bowling Green to pursue his NFL dreams — and Pudge will be heading out with him — but both George and Pudge will always be welcome here, as they remain cherished and important members of the BGSU family. Click here to see Finn's post that started in all for Pudge.

I also want to spotlight an incredible collaboration that highlights the power of real-world experience and creative thinking at Bowling Green. This fall, two of our visual communication technology students — Bryce Keen and Andrew Spade — teamed with industry partner Dynamic Dies to design a custom Bowling Green-branded box sent to Super Bowl-winning coach and influencer Jon Gruden. The national unboxing video, which showcased our orange and brown design and iconic imagery of Falcons greats, has been seen by more than half a million people online, putting BGSU creativity and student talent in the national spotlight. It’s an example of what happens when athletics, academics, and industry come together — providing invaluable experiential learning and elevating the Falcon brand far beyond our campus. You can read more about the collaboration by clicking here.

Earlier this month, my wife, Stephanie, and I had the privilege of traveling to Las Vegas for the National Football Foundation Awards Dinner to celebrate a milestone moment in BGSU history – the induction of former Falcon head coach Urban Meyer into the College Football Hall of Fame. We were joined by Coach George and great friends from the Bowling Green community — Mark and Michelle Remeis, Jeff and Laurie Huskisson, and Tim and Sandy Paradiso. Mike Wilcox and Jarrod Hirschfeld joined us at a special luncheon the day prior, hosted by BGSU, Utah, Florida, and Ohio State — a rare gathering of the four programs Urban Meyer led throughout his remarkable career. It was a proud moment for Bowling Green on a national stage, and a powerful reminder of the enduring impact this University has on the landscape of college football.

That momentum is carrying across our programs this winter. Men’s Basketball is off to one of its most exciting starts in decades, highlighted by a commanding 82–66 win at Kansas State on December 1 — securing our first Power 4 road win in 20 years and marking our best start since 2020. Coach Simon and his team are playing with confidence, toughness, and belief, and it shows.

Our Swimming & Diving program has opened the season in dominant fashion, racing out to an 10-0 record in dual meets, which is the best start in program history. This run includes strong wins over Miami (OH) and Eastern Michigan, while Samia Becdach and her teammates continue to raise the competitive bar with every meet.

This fall delivered memorable championship moments across our women’s programs. Women’s Soccer reached the MAC Championship match, finishing the season 10-3-9 — with all three losses coming by a single goal. Remarkably, the Falcons were the only NCAA Division I team in the nation that did not concede more than one goal in any match this season. With just two seniors on the roster, this group advanced to the MAC Tournament for the ninth straight year and reached the final for a league-record 11th time. Their consistency, discipline, and defensive excellence speak volumes about our culture.

Women’s Cross Country capped an outstanding regular season with a third-place finish at the 2025 MAC Championships — our lowest point total at the conference meet since 1998. Kylee Cubbison earned first-team All-MAC honors with a third-place finish, her third straight year earning all-conference recognition. She was joined by second-team honorees Rachael Withrow and Lexi Panning, giving the Falcons three All-MAC selections in the same season for the first time in 27 years.

The first series of renovations have been completed at BGSU Baseball’s Steller Field with the installation of lights, fencing and turf. This program continues to grow and flourish because of the investment of alumni and donors who continue to make the success of this program a priority. As we were closing out these improvements, alumni and donors have stepped forward and encouraged us to complete a few additional elements to the facility: new batting cages, padded fences with team/individual recognitions, and a new video board. Additional funds have been secured for these elements, but we need some additional support to close out all of the project. Please contact Nathan Anderson at nander@bgsu.edu or 480-201-1178 for more information about helping complete this project with an additional contribution.

Steller Field will be re-dedicated with a public celebration on the weekend of March 20-22, the Falcons’ first weekend of MAC play on the new turf, as they host the Ohio Bobcats. Stay tuned for more details on the exact date and timeof the ceremony which will bring back both BGSU Baseball alumni and donors to officially open play on the spectacular new surface.

I also want to highlight the continued rise of BGSU Men’s Ice Hockey, which has climbed as high as No. 16 in the National Pairwise Index (NPI) — the official system now used to select and seed teams for the NCAA Tournament beginning in the 2025–26 season. This ranking reflects the consistency, competitiveness, and national respect our program has earned. The stage gets even bigger next month as the Falcons take on two marquee home-and-home series against Ohio State and Notre Dame. We open the New Year in Columbus on January 2, then welcome the Buckeyes to Slater Family Ice Arena on January 3 at 6:07 p.m. Later in the month, we travel to Notre Dame on January 30 before hosting the Fighting Irish on January 31 at 6:07 p.m. These are the types of games that create momentum amid CCHA play — and with demand surging, I encourage our Falcon Family to secure tickets early and pack the Slater.

As we look ahead, January brings two special traditions that celebrate the spirit of our spring sports. On January 24, we welcome back BGSU alumnus and longtime Major League Baseball umpire Jim Joyce as the keynote speaker for the 3rd annual Baseball First Pitch Dinner. Just days later, on January 30, we celebrate our championship softball legacy as former head coach Jacquie Joseph returns to deliver the keynote at the 2026 Softball First Pitch Dinner. We are grateful to these exceptional leaders for investing in our programs and inspiring our student-athletes. Click here to register for these events.

I feel incredibly fortunate to be part of such an exciting and forward-moving University, as Bowling Green State University continues to earn national recognition across nearly every measure that matters. This year, BGSU posted a banner run of rankings — recognized as No. 1 among Ohio’s public universities for learning facilities, career preparation, and learning opportunities, and designated a Best Business School in the Midwest while also being a leader in supporting veterans and military-affiliated students. Our home matters, too, as Bowling Green was named Ohio’s No. 1 small college town and a Top-10 college town in the Midwest, reaffirming that this is the right place for a truly exceptional college experience. Perhaps most meaningful of all, Bowling Green ranks No. 1 in Ohio — big or small, public or private — in students saying they would choose BGSU again, and sits top five nationally and No. 3 among all public universities for student recommendation. These honors speak directly to our culture, our people, and our shared commitment to excellence — and they reinforce why it is such a privilege to represent BGSU every day.

As we head into a new year, know that we are committed to advancing this program in every dimension — academically, competitively, and personally. Our mission is to shape champions for life, and the work our student-athletes, coaches, and staff are doing each day is a testament to that purpose.

Bowling Green is rising. The energy is real. And together, we are writing a remarkable next chapter for this University we love.

Ay Ziggy,
Derek van der Merwe
Vice President for Athletics Strategy
Bowling Green State University

Urban Meyer National Football Foundation HOF

Urban Meyer - College Football Hall of Famer.

So proud to be apart of the @NFFNetwork College Football Hall of Fame event recognizing @CoachUrbanMeyer in Las Vegas this week! Coach will forever be a part of @bgsu and @cityofbg ! Thank you for all you have done and continue to do for the Falcons! @BGSU_Athletics ????… pic.twitter.com/woMs5qRfUk
— Derek van der Merwe (@vandermerwe63) December 11, 2025

Officially Official ?@CoachUrbanMeyer is officially a member of the @cfbhall ??

?? Lucas Peltier/@NFFNetwork pic.twitter.com/gkdh8wyXVE
— BGSU Football (@BG_Football) December 10, 2025

HOF ??@CoachUrbanMeyer x @cfbhall

?? Melissa Macatee/@NFFNetwork pic.twitter.com/Q9RY8GWySe
— BGSU Football (@BG_Football) December 11, 2025

The Bowling Green community was well represented in Las Vegas at the National Football Foundation's College Football Hall of Fame induction of Urban Meyer.

Click the image to be part of the Orange Army!!!

The first series of renovations have been completed at BGSU Baseball’s Steller Field with the installation of lights, fencing and turf.