Purdue Softball Announces Addition of Graduate Slugger

Purdue Athletics

After signing a trio of transfers in August, Purdue head coach Magali Frezzotti is still working hard in the offseason. The Boilermakers announced their fourth transfer, Haley Painter, and will welcome the graduate transfer for the upcoming 2026 season. 

A standout in the west heads to West Lafayette 🫡

Welcome to Purdue, @haleyy43 🤩

🔗 https://t.co/ZBDYRepHJi#BoilerUp🚂 pic.twitter.com/0k4YP5oIJZ

— Purdue Softball (@PurdueSoftball) November 6, 2025

The third baseman and slugger arrives in West Lafayette after spending one season at Cal State Fresno and three at the University of Nevada, Reno. 

“I'm thrilled to welcome Haley to West Lafayette this spring,” Frezzotti said in the press release. “She brings a lot of experience winning at a high level and a clear determination to help Purdue make a deep run in the postseason. She fits our identity really well and will make an immediate impact on the team.

Painter extended the excitement on Instagram, posting “Going B1G for my last dance.” 

Painter brings extensive undergraduate experience with her, as she excelled greatly at both Fresno State and Nevada. During her redshirt freshman season at Nevada, she started in 40 games while putting up 20 runs, 24 hits, seven doubles, and five homers with 16 RBIs.

As a sophomore, she was named to the All-Mountain West Second Team after starting in 57 games at third base. She ranks second in Nevada program history in single-season runs at 16 and finished that remarkable season with a .365 batting average, 45 RBIs, 15 doubles, and four triples. 

Nevada Athletics

In her final season at Nevada, Painter made 55 appearances and batted .311 with 14 doubles, a triple, and 15 home runs. She recorded 47 RBIs, scored 32 runs, and posted a .411 on-base percentage and a .683 slugging percentage. 

Prior to college, the Oakley, Calif. native was a four-year varsity starter at Antioch High School. She posted a career .478 batting average across 77 games with 232 at-bats. She hit .544 in her senior season with 31 hits, 19 RBIs, seven home runs, and tallied a .694 on-base percentage. 

Painter’s Career Accolades 

• First-Team NFCA All-West Region (Nevada- 2024-25)
• Second-Team All-Mountain West (Nevada- 2024)
• Mary Nutter All-Tournament Team (Nevada- 2025)
• Mountain West Regular Season Champion (Nevada- 2025)
• Second in Nevada program history in single-season home runs (16)
• Four-year softball Captain at Antioch High School

Painter, along with the other transfers, now joins the Boilermaker program that recorded its first winning season in five years. The team went 30-23 in 2025 and made it to the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament, becoming the first-ever 12 seed to do so. 

The team also set a program record in RPI at 47. Now with 10 upperclassmen returning, six freshmen joining, and four transfers, including Painter, Purdue will look to continue this success in the 2026 season. 

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