Bob Jones Hires First Athletic Director

Bob Jones University announced the installment of its first athletic director Tuesday. Neal Ring, most recently the head basketball coach at Maranatha Baptist Bible College in Watertown, Wis., will also serve as the head coach for the men’s basketball program.

“Neal possesses all of the attributes we were looking for in BJU’s first-ever athletic director,” said Stephen Jones, president of BJU. “His experience and track record show a Christ-honoring testimony and an ability to help student athletes and athletic staff grow spiritually as they use their God-given talents for his glory alone.”

“Our athletic program will seek to glorify Christ in all that we do,” said Ring. “We will use this new platform for opportunities to disciple our own student athletes and to develop both domestic and international ministry opportunities. Our formula for success will be to compete at a level that will earn the respect of our opponents thus giving us an expanded platform for ministry.”

With a bachelor of arts degree from Northland Baptist Bible College, Ring also holds a master of sports science degree from the United States Sports Academy (USSA). He is currently a candidate for a doctor of education in sports management degree from USSA. Ring has more than 10 years of athletic director experience in various Christian schools, as well as 20 years of combined coaching experience in multiple sports at the middle school, high school and collegiate levels. 

Ring has served for three years as the head basketball coach at Maranatha, a Division III school in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and was instrumental in establishing the sports management program in the Maranatha School of Business. He also served as assistant director of development in being responsible for donor relationship management. 

Alongside his academic duties, Ring established a free basketball clinic in conjunction with a local YMCA youth basketball program in Wisconsin, and served as basketball operations camp director for National Hoops Camp, an extension of National Hoops Ministries. Ring and his wife Beth have four children.