Bob Jones University President Steve Pettit announced today that Dr. Neal Ring, who has served concurrently as the BJU Bruins athletic director and men’s basketball team head coach since 2012, will now serve solely as the athletic director.

“It’s not often that someone can say they’ve started an intercollegiate sports program from scratch, but Neal did that for BJU,” said Pettit, “His commitment to making sports a platform for ministry while growing our sports team offerings from four to twelve is an incredible testament to his work ethic. With so many offerings, BJU needs a full-time athletic director—and I’m pleased Dr. Ring will assume this role.”

In the fall of 2012, BJU began its intercollegiate sports program and offered men’s and women’s soccer and men’s and women’s basketball. Since then, men’s golf, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s track, men’s and women’s shooting sports and women’s volleyball have been added.

“I’ve been honored to serve at BJU—as athletic director and men’s basketball coach,” said Ring. “Being presented with the opportunity to focus my full attention on strengthening our current programs while adding new programs in the future is something that excites me. I will always cherish these five seasons as a coach at BJU. While I will miss the practices, road trips with the players and being on the bench, I am looking forward to what God has for me and this program in the future.”

Over the course of his five seasons as head coach of the men’s basketball team, Ring has built the program into a national contender as the team won their first NCCAA DII South Region Championship this season. He was also selected as Region Coach of the Year.

Pettit also announced a committee has been formed and a nationwide search continues for the head men’s basketball coaching position.

The BJU Bruins compete in the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) as a Division II university.

http://www.bjubruins.com/news/2017/3/16/mens-basketball-neal-release.aspx