Purdue University Calumet athletic director John Friend is responsible for the operations of PUC’s athletic department as well as its eight varsity programs. Now is your chance to submit your questions to the Purdue Calumet’s athletics website and receive an answer directly from the A.D.
Submit your question using the form below. All questions will be screened in order to insure that each one is deemed appropriate with every individual’s personal information kept confidential.
Submitted Questions and Answers
Question: I had heard rumors that Purdue Calumet was going to have a mens soccer team in the next few years. Is this just a rumor?
Athletic Director’s Response: We hope to be able to add men’s and women’s soccer as varsity sports, effective fall 2012. The plan also calls for the addition of baseball and softball in fall of 2013. All future additions, however, are dependent on the budgetary abilities of the University to add those sports. Please check our website (www.purduecal.edu/athletics) often to keep apprised of any changes in plans.
Question: Is Purdue Calumet going to start up a baseball team?
Athletic Director’s Response: We are planning on adding baseball to our list of varsity sports as part of the final phase of our expansion plan. We are hoping to have the team begin play during the 2013-14 school year.
Question: How could I join the women’s cross country team?
Athletic Director’s Response: We will be hiring our first cross country coach this fall. At that time, he/she will be holding open tryouts for any full-time students interested in becoming a part of the team. Stay tuned to our athletics’ website (www.purduecal.edu/athletics) this fall for more information on the cross country programs.
Question: Do you currently have an approximate limit to the number of athletes allowed on the cross country team?
Athletic Director’s Response: At this time there will not be a specific limit to the number of runners on the team, however, for most invitationals only seven runners are allowed to compete with five figuring in the team’s score.
Question: When are the cheerleading and dance team tryouts and do you have to be an undergraduate student to be on the team? I am considering getting a post-Baccalaureate certificate from PUC and would like to be involved with the school.
Athletic Director’s Response: Cheer and Dance are open to all full-time students, so if you qualify as a full-time graduate student, you would be permitted to participate. Dance tryouts are May 22 from 9:30 – 12:00 in the Fitness and Recreation Center.
For information regarding cheerleading, contact either Linda Ewing (219) 844-8017 or (219) 670-5314 or Rhiannon Bevill at (219) 805-7631.
Question: Is there a tennis team? Is there scholarship money available for tennis players?
Athletic Director’s Response: Purdue Calumet’s tennis team will begin intercollegiate play in the NAIA in the fall of 2010, as part of the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference. We will not offer athletic scholarships in tennis, as we plan to make the transition to the NCAA Div. III, which does permit athletic scholarships, in the near future.
Please contact the women’s tennis head coach Tim Maluga at Timothy.Maluga@calumet.purdue.edu for more information on joining the team.
Question: How certain are you of having the soccer program running by then and in which NCAA division will it most likely be?
Athletic Director’s Response: Our intent is to make men’s soccer a varsity sport in 2012-2013. We will initially begin as an NAIA program, and hopefully transition to NCAA Division III. We do not plan to offer athletic scholarships.
Question: I would like to know how to tryout for the Women’s Volleyball Team? Is anything needed when joining, like medical forms…etc?
Athletic Director’s Response: Please contact Coach Natalie Shadowen at nshadowe@highland.k12.in.us or nshadow34@hotmail.com. She is the coach of the team, and can give you information regarding tryouts, practices, etc. If you have questions regarding eligibility or other non-volleyball related issues, please feel free to contact me at 219-989-2540.
Question: I was wondering when and if there will be a baseball team added to the sports list?
Athletic Director’s Response: As it stands now, we plan to add baseball as a varsity sport for the 2013-14 season. We are hopeful that finances will allow us to remain on course to add the following sports on the following dates:
2010-11 men’s tennis, women’s tennis, women’s volleyball, men’s golf
2011-12 men’s cross country, women’s cross country
2012-13 men’s soccer, women’s soccer
2013-14 men’s baseball, women’s softball
Question: I was inquiring about the plans the University had of starting a cross country program in the next year or so. I had heard rumors about it but just wanted more information about Purdue Calumet’s plan or vision was for the program in terms of conference affiliation, coaching position (s), etc.
Athletic Director’s Response: PUC plans to add men’s and women’s cross country as varsity sports for the 2011-2012 year. We will compete at the NAIA level in the Chicagoland Conference for the near future, but hope to become and NCAA Division III program in 2017-2018, after we have added the number of sports necessary for NCAA membership. We will not offer athletic scholarships in cross country. We intend to hire a part-time head coach for cross country by this summer (2010) to begin to recruit runners for the 2011-2012 season, and to work with those students already at PUC who are interested in participating.
Question: I saw below that you are thinking of adding sports and moving to the NCAA. Which division and will you add women’s and/or men’s cross country. There are many talented local athletes in cross country.
Athletic Director’s Response: Thank you for your question regarding cross country at PUC. We plan to add both men’s and women’s cross country as varsity sports, effective the 2011-12 season. The teams will compete at the NAIA level until we can grow our athletic program to the point at which we can apply for membership in the NCAA. According to our plan, we should reach the appropriate size in 2013-14, and hope to be full and active members of the NCAA, Division III, by 2017-18. There is a 4 year provisional waiting period before an institution can be an active member of Division III.
I hope to hire a head cross country coach later this spring to come on board next year and spend the year recruiting, planning the program and schedule to begin competing in fall 2011. We think this will be a great sport for PUC, and look forward to having young men and women from the area competing for the Peregrines.
