College Sports Established
1864
Location
Fort Wayne, Indiana
College Name
Purdue University Fort Wayne
Collegiate History
2001 - Present / NCAA Division I
Conference History
2020 - Present / Horizon League
2007 - 2020 / Summit League
2001 - 2007 / Independent
Nickname
Mastodons - The Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons have one of the most unique nicknames in college sports. But do you know where it comes from? The origin story of this mighty moniker is exciting and provides insight into why the team chose to represent themselves with a prehistoric creature.
It all began when Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) merged with Purdue University in 2018, forming what we now know as Purdue Fort Wayne (PFW). As part of this merger, IPFW’s athletic teams were rebranded as PFW’s Mastodons—a nod to their new home state’s past.
During the Ice Age period, mastodon fossils were discovered many years ago near present-day Allen County in northeastern Indiana. These ancient creatures roamed North America for millions of years before going extinct about 10 thousand years ago due to climate change and human activity; so by choosing “Mastodon” as its nickname, PFW was paying homage not only to its local history but also acknowledging these incredible animals that once lived on our planet long before us!
Today, fans across campus support the Mastodons by wearing purple & white apparel featuring images inspired by these ancient beasts – whether a snarling mastodon head or an illustration depicting them roaming across open plains! We can also find their mascot ‘Donnie The Donton' leading cheers at sporting events or appearing around town at various community activities throughout northeast Indiana - reminding everyone just how proud they are to be part of such a unique tradition like that found here at PFW!
NCAA Championships
Baseball 0
Men's Basketball 0
Women's Basketball 0
Football 0
Soccer 0
- 2001
- 2016
- 2021
- 2023
-
Women’s Division I Transition
The Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons women’s basketball team currently competes in the Horizon League. As of the end of the 2015–16 season, they have an all-time record of 433–568. They joined Division I in 2001. The Mastodons made three appearances in the NCAA Division II women’s basketball tournament. They had a combined record of 0–3. -
Summit & Horizon League Title
The Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons men’s basketball has been a member of the Horizon League since 2020 (departing from the Summit League after thirteen years) and in 2022 they won the championship title. Their first season in Division I was 2001–02. In 2007, the Mastadons joined the Summit League and won the title in 2016. Before joining NCAA Division I ... -
Horizon League Since 2021
The program’s first season was in 1970, and it has been a member of the NCAA Division I Horizon League since the start of the 2021 season. Its home venue is Mastodon Field, located on Purdue Fort Wayne’s campus. Doug Schreiber is the team’s head coach starting in the 2020 season. Purdue Fort Wayne’s longest tenured head coach was Bobby ... -
Big Ten Club Tournament Champions
The IPFW Club Men’s Ice Hockey Team is in its sixth season as a program and competes in the ACHA’s North Region. IPFW has had recent success finishing in the top 20 in the nation the last three seasons. This past season the Mastodons won the Big Ten Club Tournament championship hosted by Northwestern University. This was a huge win ...
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History of the Mastodons
The team has had many successes, including winning several ISNS and IPFW Athletics conference championships. In recent years, they have become particularly successful at men’s basketball with two NCAA Tournament appearances since the 2017-18 season alone! They also hold multiple Summit League titles for both men's soccer & volleyball programs, which are impressive accomplishments for any school program, no matter what level it is playing at!
On top of all these achievements on the court or field, off it too, there is much to admire about this proud university program - especially when considering how far they've come from being just an obscure small college athletic department only 14 short years ago! This year marks another milestone achievement: their first-ever Division I head coach hire – former NBA player Jon Coffman, who will undoubtedly bring new energy into one of Indiana's most beloved collegiate teams in the future into the 2020/21 season! So, if you're looking for an exciting new sports team to follow, look no further than Purdue Fort Wayne – home of The Mighty Masty Dons!!
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