IL Indianapolis Indians

Indians to Welcome Four Purdue University Student-Athletes to NIL Class of 2023

Published on July 20, 2023 under International League (IL)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


INDIANAPOLIS - The Indianapolis Indians are set to welcome four student-athletes to the club's NIL Class of 2023 during University Night with Purdue University on Thursday, July 27. Purdue men's basketball players Braden Smith, Mason Gillis and Ethan Morton will be joined by Boilermaker running back Devin Mockobee for pregame autographs from 6-6:40 PM in the Center Field Plaza.

Smith is coming off a 2022-23 season in which he was named to the Big Ten's All-Freshman Team while earning Honorable Mention All-Big Ten. He graduated from Westfield (Ind.) High School, where he ended his career as the school's all-time leader in points (1,629) and assists (453) and led Westfield to its first sectional title in 105 years. He was named Indiana Mr. Basketball following his senior season.

Gillis, a graduate student entering his final year of competition, appeared in 32 games with 15 starts last season and has twice been named Academic All-Big Ten. He is a 2019 graduate of New Castle (Ind.) High School, where he helped the basketball program to a Class 3A Regional title as a junior. In his youth in 2012, Gillis delivered a walk-off single for New Castle to punch his team's ticket to the Little League World Series as champions of the Great Lakes Regional.

Morton appeared in 35 games with 29 starts last year for the Boilermakers. A Butler Area (Pa.) High School graduate in 2020, Morton was named Pennsylvania's Gatorade Player of the Year and Pennsylvania Mr. Basketball following his senior season. He is an avid fan of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Mockobee, who is entering his redshirt sophomore season, played in 13 games with seven starts last year. He led the Boilermakers with nine rushing touchdowns, tallied 968 yards on the ground to set the Purdue freshman record, produced four 100-yard games - the most ever by a Purdue freshman - and earned Honorable Mention All-Big Ten. He recorded over 3,500 rushing yards in his career at Boonville (Ind.) High School, where he graduated in 2021.

All student-athletes in the Indians' NIL Class of 2023 receive Circle City merchandise, customized jerseys and more. In addition to pregame autographs, each student-athlete throws a ceremonial first pitch during their appearance.

John-Michael Mulloy, a graduate senior from Carmel, Ind., who plays forward/center for the Butler Bulldogs men's basketball team, was introduced as the first member of the Indians' NIL Class of 2023 on July 6.

Single-game tickets are available along with group and premium reservations. For more on the Indians, visit IndyIndians.com or contact the Victory Field Box Office at (317) 269-3545.

Check out the Indianapolis Indians Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



International League Stories from July 20, 2023


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central