Purdue University Fort Wayne announced on Friday the discontinuation of its baseball and softball programs, effective immediately.
News release from Purdue Fort Wayne:
Purdue Fort Wayne announces discontinuation of baseball and softball programs
Introductory note: No further information related to this communication will be released.
Fort Wayne, Indiana (May 23, 2025) — Purdue University Fort Wayne announced on Friday the discontinuation of its baseball and softball programs, effective immediately. The decision, which includes an expected cost savings of upwards of $1 million, is directly related to $6 million in budget cuts the university announced Thursday.
Purdue Fort Wayne remains fully committed to competing at the highest level of NCAA Division I athletics as a member of Horizon League and Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association. This decision is rooted in the responsibility to maintain a stable, equitable, and high-quality athletics environment for all PFW student-athletes.
Senior leaders from the university and its Department of Intercollegiate Athletics are already working to assist those individuals who have been affected by the discontinuation of the two programs.
“This is one of the saddest days in my 25 years as a Mastodon,” Athletic Director Kelley Hartley Hutton said. “We know this news will upset our student-athletes, alumni and fans. It was not made lightly, and we are committed to supporting those affected through this transition.”
All student-athlete scholarships will be honored and support will be provided to student-athletes wishing to transfer. Those who choose to transfer will be eligible immediately at their next institution. Mental health resources are also being made available to all student-athletes.
“I have the utmost respect for Head Baseball Coach Doug Schreiber, Head Softball Coach Amber Bowman, and their student-athletes,” Hartley Hutton said. “They have consistently over-performed their given resources, facilities, and scholarship levels. We have not made the adequate investments into facilities and resources over the life of these programs, and when considering the current financial climate, it was determined that there was no feasible path to address those needs.”
Budget challenges across the university, in combination with a turbulent NCAA landscape, led to the need for an honest assessment of the long-term viability of multiple programs, Hartley Hutton said. The decision to eliminate baseball and softball was made following this evaluation.
“Like many universities across the country—especially regional universities like ours—we continue to navigate difficult financial terrain, uncertainty about future enrollment trends, increased competition, and diminished state and federal support,” said Purdue Fort Wayne Chancellor Ron Elsenbaumer. “We must align the university’s expenses with its revenue to ensure the long-term sustainability of the institution and to provide a first-rate education and experience for our students.”
With the sponsorship adjustment, Purdue Fort Wayne will now sponsor 14 NCAA Division I programs.
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About Purdue University Fort Wayne
Purdue University Fort Wayne is the largest university in northeast Indiana and is part of the Purdue University system. Purdue Fort Wayne is uniquely positioned to serve the region as a crossroads of intellectual, social, economic, and cultural advancement. Rigorous academics are combined with a focus on student success across prestigious degree programs taught by more than 300 full-time faculty. More than 7,400 students of diverse ages, ethnicities, and nationalities pursue their education on the nearly 600-acre campus. A majority of the Mastodon Alumni Community’s 55,000+ living members reside and work in Indiana, which contributes significantly to the state’s economy, vitality, and intellectual strength. The university is a member of the Horizon League athletics conference, and fields 14 NCAA Division I sports teams. For more information, visit pfw.edu.
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