Mastodon Men's Golf Honored With Bobby Fong Award
4/13/2026 12:00:00 PM | Men's Golf
INDIANAPOLIS - The Horizon League announced on Monday (April 13) that the Purdue Fort Wayne men's golf team earned the league's Bobby Fong Award.
The League annually awards the Bobby Fong Award to one current Horizon League student-athlete or team since 2016. Named for the late Dr. Bobby Fong, who served on the Horizon League Board of Directors from 2001-2011, the award encompasses the League core values of integrity, respect and stewardship. Dr. Fong's decade as the President of Butler University was marked by a new core curriculum and improved campus-community relationships. Under his watch, Butler sustained an athletic program distinguished by its balance between academic achievement and competitive balance.
Purdue Fort Wayne men's golf played a prominent role in returning a university recognized FCA chapter to the institution and members of the team continue to serve the chapter in leadership capacities. The Mastodons have been involved in several volunteer opportunities this year, including the DuPont Hospital Love Light Shine Bright, Coats for Kids, DSANI Buddy Walk and the Purdue Fort Wayne Fitness Day. Brock Reschly and Nick Bellush have worked in the Mastodon Athletic Department, and Reschly served on the #HLSAAC messaging cabinet. The team's involvement in the community this year was encapsulated no better than when AJ Agnew and Landon Smith rescued a Fort Wayne man from his car that had careened into a pond. The duo was honored by the Fort Wayne Fire Department's Fire Chief Recognition Awards, and coins from Mayor Sharon Tucker's office.
The men's golf team had a 3.35 team GPA team GPA in the fall, and has had the highest GPA in the Purdue Fort Wayne athletic department in the five years prior.
This is the first time the Bobby Fong Award has been presented to a Mastodon team or student-athlete.
Chris Neuman - Horizon League Interim Commissioner
"The Purdue Fort Wayne men's golf team has clearly made a major impact on campus and in the Fort Wayne community through numerous service projects and consistent contributions to others. The program is an incredible example of our core values of integrity, respect and stewardship and truly honors President Fong's legacy."
Suzanne Fong - Widow of Bobby Fong
"Congratulations to the Mastodon men's golf team! They live the integrity, hard work, sportsmanship and courage honored by the Bobby Fong award. He would be proud of them all, as am I."
Billy King - Purdue Fort Wayne Men's Golf Head Coach
"I'm extremely proud of the team and the culture these guys have created. They've always been leaders on campus and in the community by treating others first, and this is a great recognition of that. They understand there's a lot of things more important than golf, and I'm proud to be the coach of such a great group of guys. They make it fun to come to work every day."
Kelley Hartley Hutton - Purdue Fort Wayne Director of Athletics
"Our men's golf program consistently exemplifies what the Bobby Fong Award is all about. Head coach Billy King has nurtured a team culture in which integrity, respect and stewardship are the standard. I am extremely proud of our men's golf team for earning this prestigious award."
Ashley Malone - Purdue Fort Wayne Men's Golf Sport Administrator
"The men's golf program continues to set the gold standard for what it means to be a Mastodon student-athlete. Whether it is maintaining the highest team GPA in our department for five consecutive years or the extraordinary heroism shown by AJ Agnew and Landon Smith, these young men embody the core values of integrity, respect and stewardship in every facet of their lives. They don't just represent Purdue Fort Wayne on the leaderboard; they represent us through their character, their service to the community, and their unwavering commitment to doing the right thing, even when no one is watching. As always, I'm proud to call them Mastodons."
Nick Holder - Purdue Fort Wayne Men's Golf Student-Athlete
"This honor goes to show the culture and atmosphere that we've built around our team. That's something that we and coach King have been proud of and haven't taken lightly since I've been here. It's a huge honor to be recognized by the league for how we treat ourselves and others. We take a lot of pride carrying ourselves that way on and off the course."
Brock Reschly - Purdue Fort Wayne Men's Golf Student-Athlete
"This award represents the culture we have on our team and it's something we are very proud of. There are a lot of things in the world that are more important than golf and coach King has created an environment where we understand how important these values are. We strive to carry ourselves as best as we can on the course, in the classroom, and throughout life."
The League annually awards the Bobby Fong Award to one current Horizon League student-athlete or team since 2016. Named for the late Dr. Bobby Fong, who served on the Horizon League Board of Directors from 2001-2011, the award encompasses the League core values of integrity, respect and stewardship. Dr. Fong's decade as the President of Butler University was marked by a new core curriculum and improved campus-community relationships. Under his watch, Butler sustained an athletic program distinguished by its balance between academic achievement and competitive balance.
Purdue Fort Wayne men's golf played a prominent role in returning a university recognized FCA chapter to the institution and members of the team continue to serve the chapter in leadership capacities. The Mastodons have been involved in several volunteer opportunities this year, including the DuPont Hospital Love Light Shine Bright, Coats for Kids, DSANI Buddy Walk and the Purdue Fort Wayne Fitness Day. Brock Reschly and Nick Bellush have worked in the Mastodon Athletic Department, and Reschly served on the #HLSAAC messaging cabinet. The team's involvement in the community this year was encapsulated no better than when AJ Agnew and Landon Smith rescued a Fort Wayne man from his car that had careened into a pond. The duo was honored by the Fort Wayne Fire Department's Fire Chief Recognition Awards, and coins from Mayor Sharon Tucker's office.
The men's golf team had a 3.35 team GPA team GPA in the fall, and has had the highest GPA in the Purdue Fort Wayne athletic department in the five years prior.
This is the first time the Bobby Fong Award has been presented to a Mastodon team or student-athlete.
Chris Neuman - Horizon League Interim Commissioner
"The Purdue Fort Wayne men's golf team has clearly made a major impact on campus and in the Fort Wayne community through numerous service projects and consistent contributions to others. The program is an incredible example of our core values of integrity, respect and stewardship and truly honors President Fong's legacy."
Suzanne Fong - Widow of Bobby Fong
"Congratulations to the Mastodon men's golf team! They live the integrity, hard work, sportsmanship and courage honored by the Bobby Fong award. He would be proud of them all, as am I."
Billy King - Purdue Fort Wayne Men's Golf Head Coach
"I'm extremely proud of the team and the culture these guys have created. They've always been leaders on campus and in the community by treating others first, and this is a great recognition of that. They understand there's a lot of things more important than golf, and I'm proud to be the coach of such a great group of guys. They make it fun to come to work every day."
Kelley Hartley Hutton - Purdue Fort Wayne Director of Athletics
"Our men's golf program consistently exemplifies what the Bobby Fong Award is all about. Head coach Billy King has nurtured a team culture in which integrity, respect and stewardship are the standard. I am extremely proud of our men's golf team for earning this prestigious award."
Ashley Malone - Purdue Fort Wayne Men's Golf Sport Administrator
"The men's golf program continues to set the gold standard for what it means to be a Mastodon student-athlete. Whether it is maintaining the highest team GPA in our department for five consecutive years or the extraordinary heroism shown by AJ Agnew and Landon Smith, these young men embody the core values of integrity, respect and stewardship in every facet of their lives. They don't just represent Purdue Fort Wayne on the leaderboard; they represent us through their character, their service to the community, and their unwavering commitment to doing the right thing, even when no one is watching. As always, I'm proud to call them Mastodons."
Nick Holder - Purdue Fort Wayne Men's Golf Student-Athlete
"This honor goes to show the culture and atmosphere that we've built around our team. That's something that we and coach King have been proud of and haven't taken lightly since I've been here. It's a huge honor to be recognized by the league for how we treat ourselves and others. We take a lot of pride carrying ourselves that way on and off the course."
Brock Reschly - Purdue Fort Wayne Men's Golf Student-Athlete
"This award represents the culture we have on our team and it's something we are very proud of. There are a lot of things in the world that are more important than golf and coach King has created an environment where we understand how important these values are. We strive to carry ourselves as best as we can on the course, in the classroom, and throughout life."
~ Feel the Rumble ~
Players Mentioned
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