Purdue Athletic Director Mike Bobinski Reportedly Sets Retirement Date

Purdue athletic director Mike Bobinski plans to retire from his position at the end of the calendar year, according to a report from ESPN's Pete Thamel. That means for the first time in 10 years, the university will be searching for a new leader in the athletic department.

According to Thamel's report, Bobinski plans to retire from Purdue on Dec. 31. He has been the school's athletic director since 2016. He had previously stops as the athletic director at Akron (1994-98), Xavier (1998-2013) and Georgia Tech (2013-16).

Bobinski has been at the helm of the athletic department since 2016 and was responsible for hiring football coaches Jeff Brohm, Ryan Walters and, most recently, Barry Odom. He also hired current women's basketball coach Katie Gearlds.

Sources: Purdue AD Mike Bobinski is set to retire from Purdue, with plans for his retirement to come on Dec. 31. He's overseen Purdue during the school's recent dominant run of men's basketball, with Purdue's Final Four in 2024 the school's first since 1980. pic.twitter.com/KJ9AafvhuK
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) June 3, 2026

“The time is right for me, both personally and professionally, to step away from one of the absolute best jobs in college athletics,” Bobinski said in a statement. “And it is the right time for Purdue to have the opportunity to identify the next person to lead our athletic program through the ongoing cycle of change and evolving new era of intercollegiate athletics.

“I am beyond grateful for the opportunities Purdue has provided me these past 10 years ... Purdue is a special place that uniquely lives and remains true to its values, and it will continue to be that thanks to the supportive and principled leadership of our board and our presidents.”

During his tenure at Purdue, Bobinski has been responsible for retaining head men's basketball coach Matt Painter and head volleyball coach Dave Shondell, two of the best in their respective sports. The Boilermakers have frequently produced NCAA Tournament teams in those two sports for decades.

In 2022, Brohm led the football program to new heights, guiding the Boilermakers to their only Big Ten Championship Game appearance.

Bobinski is only the second athletic director Purdue has had since 1993. Prior to Bobinski's arrival, Morgan Burke led the athletic department from 1993 until 2016.

Purdue trying to find success on football field

Purdue football head coach Barry Odom and Purdue athletic director Mike Bobinski pose for a photo. | Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

One of the most important decisions Bobinski made when he arrived at Purdue was moving on from head football coach Darrell Hazell and hiring Jeff Brohm to lead the team in 2017. The Boilermakers saw an immediate shift in success and revitalized a program that spent way too long at the bottom of the Big Ten.

Purdue enjoyed its fair share of success under Brohm, culminating in a Big Ten Championship Game appearance in 2022. But after that year, Brohm returned to Louisville, his hometown and alma mater, leaving the program scrambling.

Bobinski hired Ryan Walters to lead the program after a successful two-year stint as the defensive coordinator at Illinois. That experiment failed, though.

Over the next two seasons, Purdue went just 5-19, which included an abysmal 1-11 year in 2024. Walters was terminated, and Bobinski hired current head coach Barry Odom to try to get the train back on the tracks.

The Boilermakers went just 2-10 last season, but there's hope that Odom can still change the direction of the program. Still, there's no question that Purdue's recent woes on the football field have resulted in Bobinski feeling some pressure.

As of this story, no potential candidates have been mentioned to replace Bobinski.

Get top Boilermakers stories, expert analysis, and can't-miss moments straight to your inbox for free by signing up for the Purdue Boilermakers on SI newsletter!

Add us as a preferred source on Google