Story courtesy of Ferris State's Sports Information Department
Ferris State Athletics Director Perk Weisenburger Announces Retirement
Complete Statement
Big Rapids, Mich. - Ferris State University Athletics Director Perk Weisenburger, who has guided Bulldog Athletics to historic championship success over the past 11 years, announced his retirement today (May 21) following more than 40 years of high-level achievements and service as an administrator in intercollegiate athletics.
Weisenburger's retirement is effective Oct. 1, 2021, with the university slated to begin a search for a new athletic director in the near future.
Since taking over the Bulldog program in the fall of 2010, Weisenburger has led Ferris State Athletics to many major accomplishments, including 23 conference regular-season titles, 17 conference tournament championships, eight NCAA regional crowns, six national semifinal appearances, three berths in a national title game and the school's first national championship.
Overall, all 17 of the Bulldogs' varsity athletics programs have had representation in NCAA postseason competition at least once during the Weisenburger era while eight of FSU's 10 current head coaches were also hired during his time as the school's athletics director.
"Perk Weisenburger has been an outstanding champion for Bulldog Athletics, and I am very grateful for his service to Ferris State University," said Ferris State University President David Eisler. "His passion for Ferris has greatly impacted the trajectory of our athletic programs, and his leadership efforts have changed the lives of countless student-athletes."
Among the many highlights under Weisenburger's direction include the school's first-ever national championship in men's basketball in 2018 along with the Bulldogs' first NCAA Division I Frozen Four showing and national championship game appearance in men's ice hockey in 2012. FSU also earned a berth into the NCAA Division II Football National Championship game in 2018 and the Bulldogs have made three national semifinal appearances on the gridiron in the last four years to date while making six consecutive D2 Playoff berths.
Numerous other programs have also made championship runs under Weisenburger's watch, including the men's tennis squad, which made back-to-back D2 Elite Eight showings in 2015 and 2016 highlighted by one final four trip. The men's golf team captured the regional title and reached the national quarterfinals in 2017. Among the school's many conference titles in his tenure, Bulldog Volleyball captured six-straight GLIAC Championships from 2014-19 with the men's basketball team capturing four consecutive league tournament titles from 2015-18. This spring, the Bulldogs claimed the school's first-ever GLIAC Women's Soccer Championship and also won league titles in men's tennis, women's tennis and men's golf.
"The decision to step away from Bulldog Athletics was very difficult but it became increasing clear that now is the right time for a new vision that will create fresh energies and perspectives," Weisenburger said. "After 11 very productive years at Ferris State and 40 years total as an intercollegiate athletic administrator, it is time to pass the baton, move on and for me to focus on other priorities and opportunities. My time at Ferris State has been some of the most rewarding as a professional and it has been extremely gratifying to work with such an outstanding group of coaches, staff and student-athletes. I will always be grateful for and extremely proud of who we are and what we stand for.
"I want to thank President Dave Eisler, former Vice-President Jerry Scoby and current Vice-President Jim Bachmeier for their trust, support and guidance as we charted multiple pathways for growth and success," he added. "Additionally, a heartfelt thanks to all the talented and dedicated Bulldog student-athletes (past and present), our outstanding coaches, the hardest working staff in athletics plus the University and Big Rapids communities at large for their support. To our alumni, sponsors and donors …. we cannot do what we do without your support and contributions, thank you."
Year in and year out, the Bulldogs' nearly 400 student-athletes have not only had an opportunity to compete for championships on the conference, regional and national levels, but they have also been highly-successful in the classroom during Weisenburger's time leading the program. Overall, the Bulldogs have had well over 1,000 student-athletes garner conference all-academic recognition in the past decade and have regularly posted a cumulative grade point average above a 3.0 overall. FSU student-athletes have also given back more than 5,000 hours of community service under his leadership.
Since Weisenburger's arrival, FSU has become the home to the nation's top Division II football player with three Harlon Hill Trophy recipients since 2014. Three other student-athletes have also claimed National Player of the Year honors while three head coaches have garnered National Coach of the Year laurels. The Bulldogs also boast having the most D2 players seeing official action in the National Football League over the past five years with eight overall and additional student-athletes from other sports have also had numerous opportunities to continue their careers on the professional level since his arrival.
Along with the many accomplishments and honors received by Bulldog student-athletes since 2010, the Bulldogs have also set department records for sales revenue, ticket sales, corporate sponsorships and royalties over the course of his time as the athletics director while also developing key partnerships with major entities such as Under Armour, BSN Sports, Pepsi, Meijer, Buffalo Wild Wings, Affinity Licensing and more.
"The athletic program at Ferris has been exceptional under Perk's leadership," said Jim Bachmeier, vice president for Administration and Finance. "We will miss his contributions but continue to benefit from the foundations he laid."
Weisenburger has also played a lead role in several major facility upgrades, highlighted by the recent announcement of the new $15.3 million Center for Athletics Performance (CAP) project, which will equip FSU's talented student-athletes with championship-caliber training and conditioning facilities for years to come. The Bulldogs also opened the new South Athletic Complex and installed new synthetic turf surfaces in three venues with Weisenburger at the department's helm.
Under Weisenburger's leadership, the Bulldogs' Division I hockey program made the transition from the former Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) to the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA). He also recently guided FSU's move back to the new CCHA, which begins play this fall, and chaired the search committee and process that led to the appointment of Don Lucia as the league commissioner. Additionally, Weisenburger has worked closely with university administration on progressive initiatives in the gender equity area that have led to advancements for the entire Bulldog student-athlete population.
During his tenure, Weisenburger also initiated the development of the Bulldogs' enhanced video and social media presence on multiple platforms, helping FSU become a leader in many multimedia initiatives. He also built upon agreements both on campus, particularly with the school's Television and Digital Media Production (TDMP) program, and locally that led to the formation of the Bulldog Sports Network and enhanced radio and television coverage and exposure for Ferris State Athletics. Most notably, the Bulldogs have regularly hosted and been part of the NCAA Division II National Game of the Week package in recent years and established a partnership with the former Fox Sports Detroit (now Bally Sports Detroit), which aired FSU's 2019 home football game versus Grand Valley State as a signature event in its' Football Week In Michigan package.
A Michigan native, Weisenburger was tabbed as the Bulldogs' athletics director following a nationwide search and began his duties at FSU on Sept. 10, 2010, returning to his home state following more than five years (2005-10) as the Associate Athletics Director for External Operations at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
In addition to his time at UNLV, Weisenburger also spent five years as the Athletics Director at NCAA Division I Illinois State (1999-04) and previously worked in athletics administration at several other NCAA Division I institutions including Wake Forest, Central Michigan, Washington, Houston and Ohio University in his illustrious career.
The Mount Pleasant native attended CMU on a baseball scholarship and was a three-year letterwinner for the Chippewas, serving as captain of CMU's 1980 MAC Championship team. He earned his bachelor's degree at Central Michigan in 1979 and went on to receive a master's degree in sports administration from Ohio University while beginning his administrative career in intercollegiate athletics.
Weisenburger and his wife, Buffy, are the parents of two sons, Jack and Joe. His oldest son Jack played NCAA Division I baseball for the University of Michigan, pitching in the College World Series, and now plays professionally for the Oakland Athletics' minor league affiliate, the Lansing Lugnuts. Meanwhile, Joe is a 2021 Rockford High School graduate and was a member of the Rams' football squad which reached the Michigan High School Athletic Association D1 State Semifinals this past season.
"I want to publicly express my love and gratitude to my spouse, Buffy, for her unconditional support and understanding of my passion for building teams, cultures and championship opportunities and for recognizing the time and energy that is required to do this job," Weisenburger said. "I also want to thank our adult sons, Jack and Joe, for their support as Bulldog fans and for enjoying stadium food too often as a replacement for sit-down family dinners."
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT PERK WEISENBURGER!
"It has been a pleasure to work for Perk over the last nine years. He is the consummate professional and his high expectations for our athletic programs have been a driving force in the success of our teams over the years. He has truly made a lasting impact and one that has changed our athletic department for the better in so many ways. Perk will definitely be missed." - Ferris State Football Coach Tony Annese
"I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Perk for the past 11 years. His dedication to Ferris State's student-athlete experience and his desire to assist all the athletic programs has been a driving force for the department's success. All of the department's championships across all the programs has sometimes overshadowed the tremendous success our student-athletes have enjoyed in the classroom. Perk's well-balanced approach to athletics has led the way." - Ferris State Hockey Coach Bob Daniels
"Perk has been an incredible leader for Bulldog Athletics. His energy and proactive approach helped all of our coaches, staff and student-athletes focus on the positives in striving to be national leaders. He has worked tirelessly for each team, for each coach and for each student-athlete. He will be missed as our athletics director." - Ferris State Volleyball Coach Tia Brandel-Wilhelm
"The success and championships over the last 11 years speak for themselves, but the leadership Perk has provided and support he has given to many initiatives has led to so much growth for not only Bulldog Athletics, but for me personally. Having been at Ferris State for nearly 21 years, I've seen first-hand how instrumental he's been in helping provide championship experiences and memories for not only our student-athletes, but our entire staff and community. We will miss his leadership on an everyday basis, but so many things he's helped create and cultivate will continue to have a lasting impact for Ferris State University." - Assistant Athletics Director Rob Bentley