Men’s and women’s basketball teams will begin competitive play during the 2023-24 season, and will join the Wolverine Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) on a probationary status. The basketball teams are the 16th and 17th sports in the Cougars’ catalog.
“We are extremely excited to bring men’s and women’s basketball to Cleary University,” said Heather Bateman, Cleary University’s athletic director and senior vice president of campus operations. “We feel the addition of these sports will continue to help us take the next steps to compete in the Wolverine Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC), and in the NAIA. We know the addition of basketball will complement our other athletic programs, and we will do everything in our power to create two robust programs that the community and the university will be proud of.”
Prior to this announcement, Cleary was the only WHAC member that didn’t sponsor men’s and women’s basketball. The addition of men’s and women’s basketball means that all 12 members of the WHAC compete in the following sports: men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s cross country and indoor/outdoor track and field, baseball and softball.
“We are thrilled about what these additions mean for our school and our community,” Bateman said. “Men’s and women’s basketball will further improve our student life experience. We believe our student athletes will create an environment in which Cleary is considered one of the most challenging places for visiting teams to compete.”
The head coaches for each program will be hired this year (2022-23) so they can start the recruitment process; Cleary is hoping to announce its hires in the coming weeks. The school will post this information on its website. For all Cleary Cougar athletic updates, visit www.clearycougars.com.
To learn more about Cleary University, visit its website: https://cleary.edu.
