After five remarkable seasons at the helm of the Purdue Northwest softball program, head coach Tristan Zink has officially announced her resignation.

"I want to thank Coach Zink for her exceptional leadership and unwavering dedication to the Purdue University Northwest Softball program over the past five seasons," said Director of Athletics Rick Costello. "Tristan will be greatly missed. She elevated the program by developing outstanding student-athletes and guiding the team to record-breaking achievements both academically and athletically. I wish her all the best in her future endeavors."

Zink leaves Purdue Northwest following back-to-back 33-win campaigns, 65 career GLIAC conference wins, and having recently surpassed the 100-career win milestone, a testament to the winning culture she helped establish during her tenure. Under her leadership, Purdue Northwest reached the GLIAC Softball Tournament Semifinals twice, including memorable runs in her debut season in 2021 and then in 2024 where they won three games each during the tournament.

"It has been an honor to lead the Purdue Northwest softball program," Zink said. "I'm proud of what our student-athletes have accomplished on the field and in the classroom, and grateful for the relationships and memories we've shared. The strong foundation in place will lead to continued success for years to come."

In her five years guiding the program, Zink's teams made four GLIAC Tournament appearances and shattered numerous program records including single-season marks for home runs, hits, strikeouts, stolen bases, and lowest ERA.

Zink also played a pivotal role in the development of elite talent, mentoring two-time All-American Selena Michko (Dyer, Ind./Lake Central) and several First Team All-GLIAC honorees and All-Midwest Region selections. 

During her time in Hammond, the softball program was constantly Top 5 in the athletics department for overall GPA performance. This year, they finished tied-11^th out of 285 NCAA Division II softball programs for their team GPA in in the 2024-25 Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete Team honors.