Small College America - Scott Wiegandt Director of Athletics at Bellarmine University

Today, we are speaking with Scott Wiegandt, the Director of Athletics for Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky.

" Scott is a former Bellarmine University All-American and professional baseball player and was hired as the university's director of athletics in 2005. He played a lead role in moving from Division II to Division I in the 2020-21 academic year. In July 2024, Wiegandt was named to the 2024-25 executive committee of the Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association.
 
In Bellarmine’s first two years at the Division I level, the Knights captured a pair of ASUN Conference championships, winning the league’s academic championship in 2021 and the 2022 men’s basketball title in front of more than 6,000 fans at Freedom Hall—the second-largest crowd to witness an ASUN Championship.
 
Scott is a native of Louisville and a graduate of Bellarmine University, where he earned an undergraduate biology degree.”

Questions

1. Scott, let’s start with some background on Bellarmine University. What attracted you to attend Bellarmine and later brought you back to your alma mater?
2. You’ve had a long tenure as Bellarmine’s Athletic Director. You saw success at the Division II level, including a national championship in men’s basketball. Why did Bellarmine decide to move from Division II to Division I? What were the biggest challenges you faced in making that leap, and what lessons did you learn along the way?
3. Moving to Division I requires more than just strong teams—it involves compliance, financial considerations, and student-athlete support. How did you and your team navigate those changes to ensure Bellarmine remained competitive and sustainable at this level?
4. I believe Bellarmine currently plays 23 varsity sports in NCAA Division I, along with a variety of intramural sports, and nearly a quarter of first-time, full-time students are student-athletes." One of the unique aspects of your leadership has been adding new sports teams. How do you decide when and which programs to introduce, and what factors influence those decisions?
5. Small colleges often face financial and resource constraints in athletics. How has Bellarmine balanced the demands of competing at the Division I level while maintaining the institution’s core academic and financial priorities?
6. Looking ahead, what’s your vision for the future of Division I athletics with the evolution of NIL, and how do you see the role of small colleges evolving in the broader Division I landscape? 

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