The Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons are the NCAA Division I athletic teams of Purdue University Fort Wayne (PFW). The program’s visual identity has undergone two significant changes in recent years: a full rebrand in 2018 when the university realigned under the Purdue system, and a refinement in July 2025 that simplified the primary mark and updated the color palette.
Meaning and Symbolism
Mastodon mascot: The mastodon nickname dates to 1969, when the student body adopted the prehistoric creature as the campus mascot. The choice was inspired by mastodon bones discovered in 1968 on a farm just south of Angola, Indiana. PFW is the only university in the country with Mastodons as its nickname, and the original skeleton is now permanently displayed at the Walb Student Union on campus.[1][2]
Golden color: The 2025 branding refresh adopted a golden tone (HEX CFB991) described by the university as traditional Purdue gold, matching the gold used on PFW campus marks. This connects the athletic identity to the broader Purdue University system.[3]
Design and History
2018 rebrand: All NCAA sports teams became “Purdue Fort Wayne” on July 1, 2018, following the university’s realignment under the Purdue University system. The New York-based branding firm SME developed the new athletics logo and identity. The 2018 mark featured the mastodon mascot, named Tusky, as the focal point, with “Fort Wayne” incorporated prominently and blue added as a secondary color to the official school colors of gold and black.[4]
2025 refresh: In July 2025, PFW Athletics introduced an updated branding package. The primary mark remains a vertical lockup with “Purdue Fort Wayne” above the mastodon head, and a new horizontal version places the text beside the mastodon. The most notable change was the removal of the shield that previously appeared behind the mastodon head, described by the university as a cleaner look for print and digital applications. “Fort Wayne” now appears on all marks in a larger, bolder font. The “Feel The Rumble” mark was also refreshed with a new font matching the redesigned program wordmarks.[3]
Conference history: PFW joined the Horizon League effective the 2020-21 academic year, moving from the Summit League. The university fields 16 NCAA Division I sports, with 15 competing in the Horizon League and men’s volleyball competing in the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA). The conference move placed PFW at the geographic center of the Horizon League, with an average travel distance of 170 miles to each member institution.[5]
Typography and Design
The current official logo suite includes a primary mark, secondary mark, icon, primary wordmark, “Mastodons” wordmark, secondary wordmark, and the “Feel The Rumble” mark. The official color palette consists of Golden (PMS 7502 C; HEX CFB991), Black, White, Athletic Light Gray, Athletic Medium Gray, and Storm. Notably, blue is no longer part of the official palette following the 2025 refresh.[6]
Reliable public information identifying the specific typeface used in the current wordmarks was not found in the sources reviewed for this article.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons logo represent? The logo features the mastodon mascot, which the student body adopted in 1969 after mastodon bones were discovered near Angola, Indiana, in 1968. PFW is the only university in the country with Mastodons as its nickname.[1]
When was the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons logo redesigned? The identity was fully rebranded in 2018 by the firm SME, and then refined in July 2025 with the removal of the shield behind the mastodon head and the adoption of a golden color matching Purdue campus marks.[4][3]
Who designed the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons logo? The 2018 athletics identity was developed by SME, a New York-based branding firm specializing in higher education marketing and branding.[4]
What are the official Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons colors? The current official colors are Golden (HEX CFB991), Black, White, Athletic Light Gray, Athletic Medium Gray, and Storm. Blue was removed from the palette in the 2025 refresh.[6]
When was Purdue Fort Wayne founded? The campus was established in 1964 as a combined campus of Indiana University and Purdue University (IPFW). In 2018, the university split into two separate campuses: Purdue University Fort Wayne and Indiana University Fort Wayne.[2]
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