Bowling Green parts ways with Eigner after five seasons, begins search for new head coach

Bowling Green has parted ways with Ty Eigner after five seasons as head coach (photo: BGSU Athletics).

Bowling Green announced Monday that it is parting ways with Ty Eigner after five seasons as head coach and nine previous seasons as an assistant with the program.

“The decision to separate from Coach Eigner was made after a thorough review and evaluation of our program over multiple years,” said director of athletics Derek van der Merwe in a statement. “These are never easy decisions to make, especially given Ty’s many years of service to the University.”

Eigner amassed an 84-83-11 record behind the Bowling Green bench, including a 21-13-4 record in the 2019-20 season and 20 wins in the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season. The Falcons have been sub-.500 the last three seasons, including 13-22-1 in the current campaign.

Eigner served as Bowling Green’s captain for the 1992-93 season under former head coach Jerry York, and was a member of the program’s last two NCAA tournament teams prior to BGSU’s last appearance in the 2018-19 season.

Eigner had been placed on administrative leave and three players were suspended in September, 2023, after allegations of hazing, including underage drinking, were received by the Bowling Green athletic department.

Eigner was reinstated a month later after an independent investigation concluded that no member of the BGSU hockey staff had any direct or indirect knowledge of the event.

“We will begin an immediate search for the next head coach to elevate our hockey program to prominence within the CCHA and nationally, and we are committed to working with our stakeholders across the country in creating this new trajectory,” said van der Merwe.