Purdue University Fort Wayne to join Horizon League

Purdue University Fort Wayne announced Tuesday it will move from the Summit League to the Hori- zon League, beginning competition in the 2020-21 academic year.

The addition gives the Horizon League 11 schools. Purdue Fort Wayne is the first new program to join the conference since Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis in 2017. It replaced Valparaiso, which departed for the Missouri Valley Conference. The other recent addition was Northern Kentucky in 2015.

The conference’s other schools are: Wright State, Cleveland State, Detroit Mercy, Wisconsin-Green Bay, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Oakland, Illinois at Chicago and Youngstown State.

“We are excited to welcome Purdue Fort Wayne to the Horizon League family,” said Horizon League Commissioner Jon LeCrone in a release. “The Mastodons align with the Horizon League’s mission, vision, and core values and is located in the middle of our geographic footprint. Their addition will bring competitive potential, especially in men’s basketball, and an engaged and vitalized community. Purdue Fort Wayne is the right school at the right time.”

Purdue Fort Wayne will sponsor 15 teams in the Horizon League: men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, softball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s indoor track and field, men’s and women’s outdoor track and field, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s soccer and women’s volleyball.

In men’s basketball, the Mastodons have had six winning seasons in a row. They were 18-15 the last two seasons. The program moved from Division II to Division I in 2001. It has not played in the NCAA Tournament.