Athletics

Background


“Cleary University is pursuing an athletic program to provide an opportunity for student-athletes who enjoyed playing a sport in high school, would enjoy continuing to play the sport, and whose primary motivation is the completion of their college degree,” said Cleary University President Tom Sullivan. “We seek to recruit, retain and graduate these young women and men and help them to successfully apply the leadership, teamwork and discipline of their sport to successful business careers.”

To jumpstart the process, the university has hired Dan Riggs as an interim athletic director through August 2012. Riggs retired in 2010 from a more than 30-year career as a high school physical education teacher and student activities director. He has also coached women’s varsity golf, men’s varsity and junior varsity football, and men’s varsity wrestling at the high school level. He is active and well-known throughout the high school athletic community from his coaching and officiating (which included the 1996 Olympics, Junior World Wrestling championships, football and wrestling matches, and many state championships).

Meet Our AD

Dan Riggs was named Cleary's Director of Athletics in mid-August 2011. He is responsible for athletic programs at Cleary University and on-campus athletic activities. Prior coming to Cleary University, Dan taught and coached football, wrestling, and golf at Canton High School for 38 years. He has been a wrestling official for 37 years, officiating high school, college, and international wrestling. Dan contributes his expertise to the Individual State Wrestling Tournament at The Palace of Auburn Hills as one of the founding members of the largest high school individual wrestling tournaments in the nation.

Read more here.

 
 

Become a Cleary Cougar!

Are you interested in participating in athletics at the collegiate level? If so, click here to fill out our Athletic Interest Form and a Cleary University representative will be in touch with you shortly.

Meet Our Coaches!

 

Men’s Cross Country Coach: Doris Simmons

Women's Cross Country Coach: Sarah Boyle

Men's Golf Coach: Jason Cheesebro

Women's Golf Coach: Robert Fillipps

Community Recreation and Wellness Center

 

As the number of people and businesses in Livingston County has grown over the years, Cleary University has grown along with them as an active contributor to the quality of life here. Cleary is now taking the next big step toward enhancing that quality of life for the whole community with the new Community Recreation and Wellness Center, part of its long-term plan to build a complete campus in Livingston County.


Click here to see more renderings

Through Cleary’s various partnerships and potential future partnerships with other local recreation and wellness agencies – the Center will be open for the use of the whole community. As a new gathering place for families and individuals, the Center also offers increased opportunities for informal networking for employers, entrepreneurs, Cleary’s students, and the general public. Beyond the people who regularly use the Center, the entire community will benefit in many ways:

  • A fuller collegiate experience attracts students and boosts community spirit. As Cleary grows it enhances the quality of life in Livingston County through a better educated populous which in turn can attract businesses and increase employment and compensation.
  • The health, wellness, and recreation benefits available to employees through company YMCA membership are a valuable resource for businesses to maintain the wellness of their workforce and attract new employees.
  • The collaboration avoids possible duplication of services and the waste of limited community resources.

Cleary has formed a variety of partnerships for the Wellness Center both before the completion of the facility and after. These partnerships include:

  • St. Joseph Mercy Health System-Livingston Hospital will utilize the Wellness Center since they do not have a comparable facility of their own.
  • Priority Health has agreed to work with corporations to discount their premiums when corporate employees use the Wellness Center.
  • TAB Massage and Fitness will serve as a consultant to Cleary for programming and equipment needs for the Wellness Center.
  • Dr. Penny Baumeier will serve as a consultant for the Wellness Center’s child obesity programming.
  • Howell Public Schools