The Power of the BW Team
June 1, 2026
"It’s all about the team."
— Ohio Lt. Governor Jim Tressel '75
Good Morning BW,
Across campus and across the country, Yellow Jackets continue to demonstrate what it means to compete, lead and achieve at the highest levels.
Our Student-Athletes
Today, I want to begin by celebrating the extraordinary accomplishments of our BW Baseball Team.
Our Yellow Jackets headed into the NCAA Division III College World Series with a 36-10 record and tremendous momentum. After defeating Ohio Northern, 5-1, to capture the Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament title, our team won three straight games to open NCAA Tournament play before hosting Messiah University in a Super Regional here in Berea. The Yellow Jackets delivered two dominant victories, 4-0 and 11-2, to secure their place among the nation’s final eight teams.
On Friday we defeated Johns Hopkins in a decisive win, 11-4. On Saturday, we lost a close nail biter to East Texas Baptist, 7-6. On Sunday, we lost another close game to #1 ranked Denison, 6-4, ending our impressive NCAA DIII World Series journey.
This is an incredible achievement for our student-athletes, Head Coach Brian Harrison and his assistant coaches. Their talent, discipline, teamwork, and resilience continue to make the entire BW community proud. They will go down in BW history as one of BW’s greatest athletic teams.
We also celebrate the continued success of BW Track and Field.
At the 2026 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Kitar Olsen competed in the hammer throw and finished 18th nationally with a mark of 54.83m (179' 10"). This marks Kitar’s second NCAA national championship appearance during the 2025-26 academic year. His continued growth and dedication reflect the very best of BW athletics.
More broadly, our men’s and women’s outdoor track and field programs celebrated four NCAA National Championship qualifiers this spring — another sign of the strength and momentum of our athletics programs and the commitment of our student-athletes to excellence in competition and in the classroom.
I also want to congratulate Kylie Porter of our Women's Golf Team on an extraordinary first collegiate season. Kylie was named Ohio Athletic Conference Women’s Golf Freshman of the Year and earned First Team All-OAC honors — a tremendous accomplishment and a strong foundation for the future of our program.
New Members of our Senior Leadership Team
BW is attracting talent that shares our vision for a stronger BW. I am very pleased to announce that we have filled two important positions on our Senior Leadership Team.
Rob Drapcho will join us in June as Vice President for Enrollment Management. Rob joins us with an impressive track record in strategic enrollment management. Rob most recently served as Director of Enrollment Management at Bowling Green State University's Firelands campus in Huron, Ohio, where he developed the campus’s first comprehensive enrollment plan, led a successful brand overhaul, and delivered consecutive years of the largest incoming classes in the campus’s history.
Katie Robbins will join us in July as Chief Financial Officer and Vice President for Finance. Katie brings an impressive track record in higher education financial management. Katie served as the Vice President for Finance & Business Affairs at Malone University, where she successfully led strategic budgeting efforts, maximized institutional resources, and built highly collaborative relationships across campus departments.
Launch of the Jacket Business Network
I want to thank the more than 200 alumni and friends who came together for an energizing launch of the Jacket Business Network at the Oswald Tower, hosted by Oswald Companies Chairman and CEO Robert Klonk. This is an exciting new initiative to foster connection, share expertise, and strengthen the BW alumni community. The evening featured an engaging conversation with BW Trustee Lt. Governor Jim Tressel '75 on the importance of not only being leader-ready, career-ready, and future-ready, but also being team-ready. Attendees represented a cross section of BW graduates - from across industries, experiences, and class years - creating a welcoming environment for meaningful engagement. I’m grateful to our sponsors for their partnership and want to give special thanks to organizers Ron Boynar '93 and David Allen '93 for bringing this vision to life. This inaugural event marked a meaningful first step toward building a lasting and impactful Jacket Business Network. Join our LinkedIn group to connect with Yellow Jacket business professionals and learn about Jacket Business Network initiatives.
These accomplishments and the people who support BW remind us that ultimately, we are one team. We continue to thrive because of the talent, commitment, and character of our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends who support each other and BW every day.
Whether in athletics, academics, the arts, or service, our students continue to demonstrate what it means to be Leader-Ready, Team-Ready, Career-Ready, and Future-Ready.
Thank you for being on the BW Team.
With appreciation,
Lee Fisher
President, Baldwin Wallace University