In August, the Great Lakes Valley Conference announced the addition of wrestling as a championship sport beginning in 2016-17. That brought all 20 Truman intercollegiate teams under the same conference banner for the first time in the modern era. The Bulldogs will compete in duals against the six other GLVC schools to determine a conference champion.

Bulldog football letter-winner and current pro scouting assistant for the Kansas City Chiefs, Randy Ball, was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in October. Ball was an all-conference offensive lineman in 1971 and 1972 and was a tri-captain for the Bulldogs. He coached football at Western Illinois University and Missouri State University before moving to the pro ranks.

Junior goalkeeper Katie Mattingly of the women’s soccer team was selected as an Academic All-America by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Mattingly is the 111th student-athlete and fourth women’s soccer player to earn the award.

The National College Athlete Honor Society, Chi Alpha Sigma, designated a chapter of their fraternity at Truman. The Bulldogs are the fifth Missouri school to be accepted into Chi Alpha Sigma, whose mission is to honor collegiate student-athletes who excel in both the classroom and athletic competition. They recognize students who receive a varsity letter while maintaining a 3.4 or higher grade point average throughout their junior and/or senior years.

The Bulldogs welcomed three new members into leadership roles within the department: Michael Bazemore was hired as the associate athletics director for compliance and eligibility; Jeri Speak was promoted to senior women’s administrator and ticket manager; and Cooper Weidenthaler was hired as the athletics media relations coordinator.