WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue Baseball's continued commitment to a bountiful approach with its community outreach manifests itself as a mutually beneficial endeavor, most prominently during the fall semester on campus. The Boilermakers teamed up to log over 750 hours of community outreach this fall.
Baseball's largest team-wide community outreach events of the school year are headlined by…
• An afternoon visit to the Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis
• Contributing to Purdue University Dance Marathon's annual 24-hour fundraiser
• An on-field team up and family meal with the Tippy Stars, a local special needs sports group
• The Halloween Bash at Alexander Field, which features on-field trick-or-treating and photos after the players entertain with a brief costume scrimmage
• The Preseason Fan Fest inside the Mollenkopf Athletic Center, featuring skill stations, games, autographs and photo opportunities
Individually, Purdue's players are also regular attendees at the Greater Lafayette Boys and Girls Club and contribute to elementary school reading opportunities. The Halloween Bash and Preseason Fan Fest are both free and all-ages events open to the entire community. This year's edition of the PUDM 24-hour fundraiser featured an Athlete Hour in which Baseball joined forces with the university's varsity and club soccer teams as well as the Purdue Goldusters dance team to interact with the Riley Kids in attendance.
The Boilermakers are encouraged to be selfless and dedicated in their interactions with the community. Inspiring young people while setting a positive example as NCAA student-athletes becomes the foundation. In turn, building relationships via the personal interaction with fans of all ages leads to the mutually beneficial end result.
"It's truly important as we go through this journey together as a team, we don't just make it about ourselves – it's about our community, fanbase and people that surround us," sixth-year head coach Greg Goff says. "The opportunity for our guys to take the time and be selfless as a positive influence in our community is really important."
Goff helped launch the Preseason Fan Fest during his two years (2018-19) as an assistant at Purdue. The expanded community outreach really took root after he was elevated to head coach in the summer of 2019.
"Being able to work alongside my teammates to connect with our community has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my baseball career and my life in general," senior Breck Nowik says. "When we participate in events like the Tippy Stars team up, Halloween Bash, Purdue Dance Marathon, and visit Riley Children's Hospital, the joy and excitement that the children all have reminds us that we are role models to these kids. We have the platform to inspire the next generation.
"The bonds that we form during these events create lasting memories for the kids, the community, and us as players as well. Not only are we building a stronger fanbase, but we're also bringing the community together and showing these young kids that they have a support system of athletes who all genuinely care about their future. We're committed to making a positive impact in their lives."
Brandon Anderson was among the program's newcomers to get their first taste of Purdue's emphasis on community outreach this fall. The infielder from Kentucky says "my teammates and I are so thankful for the relationships we have with Boys and Girls Club. It was never an obligation to visit them and it wasn't only special for the kids, but special for us to see how much they look up to us as student-athletes. The Tippy Stars team up was one of my favorite community outreach events I've ever done as a college athlete; the amount of joy these kids had just being able to play the game and be around us really puts things into perspective how lucky we are."
"It's grown every year as part of the culture of the program," Goff says. "Our guys look forward to it – to the Tippy Stars team up to the Riley visits as well as the Boys and Girls Club interactions. It gets them away from just a singular focus on baseball while making a difference in someone's life. It also reminds us to be grateful for what we have and the opportunities we live every day."
As a 6-foot-5 slugger from Australia, senior Keenan Spence stands out no matter the setting – even if he's in costume as Luigi or a construction worker at the Halloween Bash at Alexander. He highlighted the holiday event as one that resonates among the attendees. "Having the opportunity to give back to the community during the Halloween Bash was a great experience," Spence says. "It's awesome seeing how excited the kids get when they see one of the players in a costume that they like. And even days after the event is over, I have people telling me how it's such a great experience. It really makes us feel it is truly a worthwhile way to give back."
Like Spence, Nowik has now made two trips to Riley in Indianapolis. Nowik says it's an inspirational trip for the team. "Our visit to Riley Children's Hospital was the one that stood out to me the most. In every room that I visited and with every child I saw – despite the challenges they have had to face at such a young age – they had the biggest smiles on their faces as we shared stories, played video games, talked about sports, and debated who was the best basketball player of all-time. As I would give the kids a baseball and a Purdue Baseball T-shirt, the amount of joy they displayed reminded me that something I might take for granted, these children will cherish forever. The honor was entirely mine to meet these kids and their families. As I left the hospital that day, I felt inspired by their spirit and fight. I was grateful for the opportunity to bring even a small moment of happiness to their challenging journey. They truly inspired us all."
Senior pitcher Carter Doorn agrees about the November trip to Riley. "The most memorable thing we did this fall for me was the Riley Children's Hospital visit. The last few years I was not able to attend because of my class schedule, but that was different this year," Doorn says. "It is fitting that I was able to experience something so joyful in my senior year. To see the joy and excitement in those kids was truly awesome – knowing that we as a team can bring an abundance of happiness to those going though struggles that many of us cannot understand."
"Our community has a connection with our program and our players via the relationships we've built with the outreach," Goff says while acknowledging the mutually beneficial aspect. "Building relationships comes full circle and we've all been delighted to see those fans become more invested in coming out to watch us play. The attendance records at Alexander the last two years really goes hand-in-hand with the amount of time our players have dedicated to making a difference in the community."
Community outreach is an exercise alumni have carried on to professional baseball. Curtis Washington Jr. spent the 2021-22 school year in West Lafayette as Purdue's starting center fielder before being drafted by the Seattle Mariners in July 2022. In September, Washington was recognized as the Mariners' 2024 Dan Wilson Community Service Award recipient for his efforts with community outreach in Minor League Baseball – specifically his work with the Miracle League in Modesto, California, and Gotta Believe youth baseball camp in Washington's hometown of West Memphis, Arkansas. With his family in attendance, Washington was honored on the field before a September game at T-Mobile Park in Seattle.
The Boilermakers are targeting the weekend of Feb. 8-9 for the 2025 edition of their Preseason Fan Fest. Specifics on the time and date of the free event inside the Mollenkopf Athletic Center will be announced in the coming weeks.
Baseball's largest team-wide community outreach events of the school year are headlined by…
• An afternoon visit to the Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis
• Contributing to Purdue University Dance Marathon's annual 24-hour fundraiser
• An on-field team up and family meal with the Tippy Stars, a local special needs sports group
• The Halloween Bash at Alexander Field, which features on-field trick-or-treating and photos after the players entertain with a brief costume scrimmage
• The Preseason Fan Fest inside the Mollenkopf Athletic Center, featuring skill stations, games, autographs and photo opportunities
Individually, Purdue's players are also regular attendees at the Greater Lafayette Boys and Girls Club and contribute to elementary school reading opportunities. The Halloween Bash and Preseason Fan Fest are both free and all-ages events open to the entire community. This year's edition of the PUDM 24-hour fundraiser featured an Athlete Hour in which Baseball joined forces with the university's varsity and club soccer teams as well as the Purdue Goldusters dance team to interact with the Riley Kids in attendance.
The Boilermakers are encouraged to be selfless and dedicated in their interactions with the community. Inspiring young people while setting a positive example as NCAA student-athletes becomes the foundation. In turn, building relationships via the personal interaction with fans of all ages leads to the mutually beneficial end result.
"It's truly important as we go through this journey together as a team, we don't just make it about ourselves – it's about our community, fanbase and people that surround us," sixth-year head coach Greg Goff says. "The opportunity for our guys to take the time and be selfless as a positive influence in our community is really important."
Goff helped launch the Preseason Fan Fest during his two years (2018-19) as an assistant at Purdue. The expanded community outreach really took root after he was elevated to head coach in the summer of 2019.
"Being able to work alongside my teammates to connect with our community has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my baseball career and my life in general," senior Breck Nowik says. "When we participate in events like the Tippy Stars team up, Halloween Bash, Purdue Dance Marathon, and visit Riley Children's Hospital, the joy and excitement that the children all have reminds us that we are role models to these kids. We have the platform to inspire the next generation.
"The bonds that we form during these events create lasting memories for the kids, the community, and us as players as well. Not only are we building a stronger fanbase, but we're also bringing the community together and showing these young kids that they have a support system of athletes who all genuinely care about their future. We're committed to making a positive impact in their lives."
Brandon Anderson was among the program's newcomers to get their first taste of Purdue's emphasis on community outreach this fall. The infielder from Kentucky says "my teammates and I are so thankful for the relationships we have with Boys and Girls Club. It was never an obligation to visit them and it wasn't only special for the kids, but special for us to see how much they look up to us as student-athletes. The Tippy Stars team up was one of my favorite community outreach events I've ever done as a college athlete; the amount of joy these kids had just being able to play the game and be around us really puts things into perspective how lucky we are."
"It's grown every year as part of the culture of the program," Goff says. "Our guys look forward to it – to the Tippy Stars team up to the Riley visits as well as the Boys and Girls Club interactions. It gets them away from just a singular focus on baseball while making a difference in someone's life. It also reminds us to be grateful for what we have and the opportunities we live every day."
As a 6-foot-5 slugger from Australia, senior Keenan Spence stands out no matter the setting – even if he's in costume as Luigi or a construction worker at the Halloween Bash at Alexander. He highlighted the holiday event as one that resonates among the attendees. "Having the opportunity to give back to the community during the Halloween Bash was a great experience," Spence says. "It's awesome seeing how excited the kids get when they see one of the players in a costume that they like. And even days after the event is over, I have people telling me how it's such a great experience. It really makes us feel it is truly a worthwhile way to give back."
Like Spence, Nowik has now made two trips to Riley in Indianapolis. Nowik says it's an inspirational trip for the team. "Our visit to Riley Children's Hospital was the one that stood out to me the most. In every room that I visited and with every child I saw – despite the challenges they have had to face at such a young age – they had the biggest smiles on their faces as we shared stories, played video games, talked about sports, and debated who was the best basketball player of all-time. As I would give the kids a baseball and a Purdue Baseball T-shirt, the amount of joy they displayed reminded me that something I might take for granted, these children will cherish forever. The honor was entirely mine to meet these kids and their families. As I left the hospital that day, I felt inspired by their spirit and fight. I was grateful for the opportunity to bring even a small moment of happiness to their challenging journey. They truly inspired us all."
Senior pitcher Carter Doorn agrees about the November trip to Riley. "The most memorable thing we did this fall for me was the Riley Children's Hospital visit. The last few years I was not able to attend because of my class schedule, but that was different this year," Doorn says. "It is fitting that I was able to experience something so joyful in my senior year. To see the joy and excitement in those kids was truly awesome – knowing that we as a team can bring an abundance of happiness to those going though struggles that many of us cannot understand."
"Our community has a connection with our program and our players via the relationships we've built with the outreach," Goff says while acknowledging the mutually beneficial aspect. "Building relationships comes full circle and we've all been delighted to see those fans become more invested in coming out to watch us play. The attendance records at Alexander the last two years really goes hand-in-hand with the amount of time our players have dedicated to making a difference in the community."
Community outreach is an exercise alumni have carried on to professional baseball. Curtis Washington Jr. spent the 2021-22 school year in West Lafayette as Purdue's starting center fielder before being drafted by the Seattle Mariners in July 2022. In September, Washington was recognized as the Mariners' 2024 Dan Wilson Community Service Award recipient for his efforts with community outreach in Minor League Baseball – specifically his work with the Miracle League in Modesto, California, and Gotta Believe youth baseball camp in Washington's hometown of West Memphis, Arkansas. With his family in attendance, Washington was honored on the field before a September game at T-Mobile Park in Seattle.
The Boilermakers are targeting the weekend of Feb. 8-9 for the 2025 edition of their Preseason Fan Fest. Specifics on the time and date of the free event inside the Mollenkopf Athletic Center will be announced in the coming weeks.