Purdue selling and sales management alumna’s persistence in overcoming cancer leads to thriving sales career with the Indianapolis Colts

Written By: Rebecca Hoffa, rhoffa@purdue.edu

Molly Spitznogle(Photo provided)

From football to basketball to baseball, Molly Spitznogle, a 2023 Purdue University College of Health and Human Sciences alumna, is an avid sports fan. When the opportunity arose to enter a career with Indiana’s NFL team, the Indianapolis Colts, Spitznogle jumped at the chance. In her career in group ticket sales, Spitznogle enjoys putting together a stadium full of people creating lasting memories together.

“Everything I love doing, there’s an industry for it,” Spitznogle said. “I really fell in love with the fast pace and competitiveness of the sports industry.”

However, for Spitznogle, the journey to arrive with the Indianapolis Colts was far from simple. Entering her first year at Purdue as an exploratory studies major, Spitznogle was looking to find her passion. Through the courses and aptitude tests that shepherded her time of discovery, she found the selling and sales management major in the White Lodging-J.W. Marriot, Jr. School of Hospitality and Tourism Management and immediately knew it was where she was meant to be.

Spitznogle (center) stands on the field of Lucas Oil Stadium.(Photo provided)

“Sales was something I really enjoyed as well as the interactions with people,” Spitznogle said. “Purdue really provided that background of being able to integrate with engineers and people in agriculture and other fields. These are the people you’re going to be interacting with whether you’re selling in those fields or if you’re selling season tickets to someone in those fields. Purdue really opened my eyes to so many ways of life and people.”

As she delved deeper into her new major, Spitznogle was thrown into a new challenge: the COVID-19 pandemic and a new virtual learning environment. Spitznogle explained she was grateful for her advisors and the faculty in the department who were able to help guide her and her peers to excel in the field despite a global pandemic.

“The professors really developed us as individuals to help us be the best in our field,” Spitznogle said. “I’ve talked to some of my peers, and they’ve said, ‘I was a leg above some of my now-co-workers just because I had so much more passion and drive because of Purdue.’ So many of our professors instilled that in us.”

As the world returned to a new normal during her junior year, Spitznogle began her own personal battle with illness days before leaving for a study abroad program in Milan. She was diagnosed with a glioma astrocytoma, a type of brain tumor, and had to stay home to begin treatment. Overcoming brain cancer became her top priority during her remaining two years of college, and despite the obstacle, she graduated on time in May 2023.

“There were a lot of ups and downs, but I think it was the people who were able to push me through those challenges — my advisors and professors — who motivated me to keep on keeping on, graduate on time and be where I am now,” Spitznogle said.

Spitznogle, a cancer survivor, poses for a photo with the Crucial Catch bell, which is rung at Crucial Catch games for cancer awareness.(Photo provided)

Spitznogle noted despite her diagnosis, she was still able to have many of the standard college experiences. She got involved in Phi Mu sorority, joined the Purdue University Dance Marathon and was involved with the Center for Professional Selling.

After graduating, Spitznogle was able to begin her journey in cancer remission, and in January 2024, she began her career with the Indianapolis Colts as a consumer sales associate. In January 2025, she was promoted to account executive in group sales, which has given her a new perspective on selling and sales.

“Personally, I’m not selling anything that’s going to be changing someone’s health or quality of their physical being, but I’m changing someone’s mental being and their happiness,” Spitznogle said. “When people are going into the game, there’s always a smile on their face, and seeing people enjoy the game with their families and friends, it’s something I didn’t even realize before I started here, but it makes me so thankful for where I am.”

In her role, Spitznogle often finds herself speaking with alumni groups, businesses, families and other groups to fill the seats of Lucas Oil Stadium for each Colts game.

“My favorite thing has been being able to work with colleges and universities because it has brought me back to my roots of where I started my journey of sales and relationship-building,” Spitznogle said.

While Spitznogle’s story is flecked with persistence and resilience, she credits her Boilermaker network with helping her to succeed. Her advice to students is simple: Make those connections.

“Don’t be afraid to network — you never know where that will lead you,” Spitznogle said. “A conversation can lead to so much, and a quick smile can go so far.”