Purdue Athletics Welcomes Ken Halpin as Deputy AD

by | Jul 22, 2021 | RRSN News | 0 comments

Purdue Athletics Welcomes Ken Halpin as Deputy AD

Halpin joins the Boilermakers from Winthrop, where he served as AD since 2016

 

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue vice president and athletics director Mike Bobinski announced the hiring of Winthrop University’s director of athletics, Dr. Ken Halpin, as deputy athletics director on Wednesday.

 

Halpin will serve as chief operating officer for the Boilermakers, with primary leadership and oversight responsibility for revenue producing activities, strategic communications, brand enhancement, marketing and fan experience, sports medicine and performance, event operations and facilities. He will also serve as the sport administrator for Purdue Men’s Basketball.

 

“Our department is thrilled to welcome Ken and his family to our Purdue Athletics team,” Bobinski said. “Ken is a dynamic and engaging leader who has fostered tremendous success within his previous organizations. His focus on providing a first-class student-athlete experience while prioritizing academic achievement, athletic excellence, community engagement and revenue generation are all principles that we value here at Purdue. We look forward to having Ken, his wife, Amber, and their three children, Kenny, Jonathan and Jill Marie, join us here in West Lafayette very soon.”

 

Halpin has served as vice president and director of intercollegiate athletics for Winthrop since May 2016, with the last four years showcasing the Eagles’ outstanding work in the classroom and in competition. Winthrop set new records for departmental cumulative grade point average (GPA) each year since 2016-17, including a record-high 3.35 mark by the student-athlete population for the 2020-21 academic year.

 

“Amber and I have always said it would take something very special to pull us away from Winthrop and Rock Hill,” Halpin said. “This opportunity to come to Purdue is that and more. We could not be more excited to join the West Lafayette community, and I’m deeply grateful to Mike Bobinski, President Daniels and the Purdue University Board of Trustees for allowing us to become Boilermakers. There is so much to look forward to in the future for Purdue, and we cannot wait to get started.”

 

Winthrop’s tradition-rich men’s basketball program claimed six championships during Halpin’s tenure in Rock Hill, South Carolina, winning the Big South Conference’s regular season and tournament championships in 2017, 2020 and 2021.

 

Competitive success swept across Winthrop Athletics during the 2019-20, with volleyball adding a Big South championship to the trophy case, and the Eagles’ baseball, softball and lacrosse programs vying for titles prior to season cancellations due to the pandemic. Eagle Volleyball’s impressive run in 2019 included a pristine 14-0 conference record.

 

Halpin and his team guided the Eagles to an exceptional 214-percent increase in total athletics fundraising dollars upon his arrival. Additionally, Winthrop Eagle Club memberships more than doubled, corporate sponsorships increased by 190 percent and ticket sales increased 48 percent.

 

Prior to his arrival at Winthrop, Halpin served as deputy athletic director for Eastern Washington. During his time at EWU, Halpin oversaw all external operations, which included such notable achievements as a 122-percent increase in external revenue and 60-percent increase in annual scholarship fund membership.

 

Halpin received a Ph.D. in education from Washington State University in 2015 and a Master’s in sport administration from Gonzaga University in 2008, where he taught as an adjunct professor in the sport management program for seven years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree from Willamette University in 2005, where he was an all-conference performer in both football and baseball.

 

Halpin is married to his wife, Amber, and the two have three children, Kenny, Jonathan and Jill Marie.

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