Former Missouri Southern Athletics Director Jared Bruggeman has been named interim executive director of the Joplin Sports Authority (JSA).
Bruggeman, who started on June 9, is JSA’s fifth executive director.
“I am extremely excited to be able to serve in the role as the interim executive director of the Joplin Sports Authority,” Bruggeman said in a press release. “Having served on the JSA board for many years, we feel that the learning curve should be greatly reduced while we continue to grow and advance the JSA, the city of Joplin and the entire region economically as well as providing opportunities for additional activities. I want to thank the board for allowing this wonderful opportunity for me to continue to work with our excellent staff and the sporting community of Joplin and the entire region.”
Bruggeman served as MSSU’s director of athletics from June of 2009 to May of 2021.
While at Southern, Bruggeman oversaw the department’s second place finish in the 2021 MIAA Commissioner’s Cup. Bruggeman has helped to see an increase in fundraising, as well as a restructuring in the Lionbacker Booster Club.
The school has seen one of the most productive runs in the men’s basketball program’s history as the team went 197-98 in his tenure. The team has had trips to four NCAA Tournaments, as well as racking up four 22-plus win seasons and an MIAA Championship in 2011, mixed in with the 2014 MIAA Tournament Championship.
The student-athletes at Missouri Southern posted a cumulative grade point average (GPA) above a 3.00 for the fifth-straight semester in 2020.
Bruggeman previously served as the Associate Director of Athletics at Northern Arizona University for four years, working as the school’s compliance director, as well as overseeing the men’s and women’s track and field and cross-country programs and equipment room.
Prior to NAU, Bruggeman served as an Assistant Director of Athletics for Compliance and Student Life at the University of North Dakota for four years. He also oversaw facilities and game management, as well as marketing and ticketing. He was the student athlete Academic Coordinator as well as Director of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and during his time as Assistant AD, North Dakota was awarded seven NCAA postgraduate scholarships, two NCAA Division II Degree Completion Awards and the NCAA Walter Byers Post Graduate Scholarship.
Prior to his career in collegiate athletics, Bruggeman was a high school science teacher. He taught at Stephen Hempstead High School in Dubuque, Iowa, and Red River High School in Grand Forks, N.D. Bruggeman also served as track and field and cross-country coach at both schools.
Bruggeman earned a Bachelor of Science in natural science and a Bachelor of Science in education with an emphasis in physics from the University of North Dakota in 1994. He went on to earn a Master of Education in educational leadership from UND.
“We are excited to have Jared Bruggeman serving as the interim Executive Director of the JSA,” said Dan McCreary, JSA Board Chairman. “Jared’s experience as AD at MSSU along with his service on the JSA board makes him a great choice.”
