Curt Cignetti Named Big Ten Coach of the Year After one of the biggest turnarounds in FBS history, Indiana head football coach Curt Cignetti was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year as announced by the conference office on Tuesday. Cignetti earned the Hayes-Schembechler Big Ten Coach of the Year from the conference coaches and the Dave McClain Coach of the Year from the media that covers the Big Ten. The honor marks the fourth time in his career that he earned coach of the year accolades from the conference office, doing so once at each of his previous stops. He was the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 2012, the Colonial Athletic Association Coach of the Year in 2017 and Sun Belt Coach of the Year in 2023.
He is the third Indiana head coach to win the Big Ten Coach of the Year award, with Tom Allen (2020) and Bill Mallory (1986) each winning both awards, while Mallory was also selected as the media’s coach of the year in 1987. On the short list for nearly every national coach of the year honors, Cignetti has engineered an eight-game improvement from Indiana’s 2023 to 2024 seasons. That number currently sits tied for the second-best improvement by a first-year head coach since at least 1996. Cignetti was the first-ever Division I head coach to start 8-0 or better in consecutive seasons at different institutions. He led James Madison to a 10-0 mark to start the 2023 season and pushed Indiana to an identical mark to begin the 2024 slate.
The 11 victories in 2024 are the most in program history and mark the first double-digit win season in Hoosier history. Likewise, the eight wins in Big Ten play are the most by an IU team since joining the conference in 1900. He is the only Indiana head coach to start a season at least 4-0 and joined the select group of Big Ten coaches that started their Big Ten tenures with 10-0 overall records in the AP Poll Era (since 1936): Ryan Day (Ohio State, 2018-19), Urban Meyer (Ohio State, 2012), Earle Bruce (Ohio State, 1979), Bennie Oosterbaan (Michigan, 1948-49) and Carroll Widdoes (Ohio State, 1944-45). Cignetti inked a contract extension during the Hoosiers’ Week 12 bye week. He agreed to an eight-year contract with an average annual compensation of $8 million through 2032.
Six Indiana Football Hoosiers Named All-Big Ten and 11 named Honorable Mention With the regular season in the books, the Indiana football program is well represented on the All-Big Ten teams with six among the first, second and third teams and an additional 11 Hoosiers named honorable mention all-conference. Indiana placed the most defenders on the first-team All-Big Ten squad with three players tabbed to the first team by both the coaches and media. On the offensive side, IU had one second-team honoree and two third-team selections. The honorable mentions saw three on the offensive side, five on defense, two on special teams and one selected on both offense and special teams.
DEFENSE
Aiden Fisher, LB- All-B1G First Team (Coaches & Media)– Led the team and ranked third in the Big Ten in total tackles at 108 stops on the season … Started all 12 games and chipped in eight-plus tackles in eight games on the season, with four double-digit tackle games … Had 4.0 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks … Broke up three passes.
Mikail Kamara, DL- All-B1G First Team (Coaches & Media) – Finalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy … Ranked No. 2 in the Big Ten in sacks (10.0) and tackles for loss (15.0) … Started all 12 games … Totaled 44 total tackles with multiple tackles in 11 of 12 games … Season sack total ranks tied for No. 5 on the IU single-season charts with Adewale Ogunleye (10.0; 1997) … Posted the first double-digit sacks by a Hoosier since Jammie Kirlew in 2008 (10.5) … Posted a tackle for loss in nine of 12 games in 2024 and 30 of 35 career games … Forced two fumbles and recovered three fumbles … Finished atop the Big Ten and No. 2 in the Power 4 in total pressures (64) per Pro Football Focus.
D’Angelo Ponds, DB-All-B1G First Team (Coaches & Media)-Graded as the No. 3 coverage cornerback in the Big Ten per Pro Football Focus (84.7) … Appeared in all 12 games with 11 starts … Totaled 53 tackles with 4.5 tackles for loss … Grabbed two interceptions and broke up nine passes … Returned one interception or a touchdown … Blocked a punt at Michigan State that ended in a safety.
Shawn Asbury II, DB-Honorable Mention (Media)– Finished No. 3 on the team with 62 tackles … Appeared in 12 games with 11 starts … Chipped in 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks … Lone interception came against Nebraska … Ranks No. 10 on IU’s charts for longest interception return with a 78-yard interception return against Nebraska (10/19) … Broke up three passes.
Lanell Carr Jr., DL-Honorable Mention (Media)– Logged a career-high 37 tackles … Started all 12 games … Made 4.0 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks … Recovered a fumble against Purdue and returned it 8 yards … Made multiple tackles in eight of 12 games in 2024 … Broke up one pass.
James Carpenter, DL- Honorable Mention (Coaches & Media)-Finalist for the Burlsworth Trophy for the nation’s most outstanding player that began his career as a walk-on … Started all 12 games … Logged 31 tackles from the defensive interior … Totaled 9.5 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks to rank No. 2 on the team in both categories … Broke up one pass.
Jailin Walker, LB- Honorable Mention (Coaches & Media)-Graded as the No. 6 linebacker in the Big Ten per Pro Football Focus (81.5) … Started all 12 games … Ranked No. 2 on the team and No. 19 in the Big Ten with a career-best 72 tackles … Added 9.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks … Pulled down two interceptions and broke up eight passes … Added two forced fumbles … Totaled 4.0 tackles for loss against Purdue to tie for No. 6 on IU’s single-game list.
CJ West, DL- Honorable Mention (Coaches & Media)– Boasted seven games with multiple tackles on the defensive interior … Appeared in 12 games with 10 starts … Totaled 6.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks … Added a forced fumble and one fumble recovery … Ranked as the No. 6 run defender (81.9) and No. 10 overall defender (76.9) among defensive interiors in the Big Ten per Pro Football Focus.
OFFENSE
Kurtis Rourke, QB-All-B1G Second Team (Coaches & Media)– Led the nation in passing efficiency (181.4) and paced the Big Ten in touchdown passes (27) and fewest interceptions (4) … Started 11 games … Three-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week … Semifinalist for the Maxwell, Walter Camp Award and Davey O’Brien Award … Only Big Ten quarterback since 2000 to throw for 250 yards and at least 3 touchdown passes in their first three conference road games … Threw program-record-tying six touchdown passes against Purdue … Season passing total of 2,827 yards sits No. 7 on the single-season list at IU … Tied for No. 2 on single-season passing touchdowns list … Highest-graded passer (92.9) in the Big Ten per Pro Football Focus.
Elijah Sarratt, WR- All-B1G Third Team (Coaches & Media)– Finished No. 5 in the Big Ten in receiving yards (890) and No. 8 in receiving touchdowns (8) … Started all 12 games … Caught 49 passes on the season with 37 going for a first down or touchdown … Season receiving yardage total ranks No. 12 in IU history and season touchdown receptions are tied for No. 10 on IU’s single-season list … Owns a reception in all 37 career games played.
Mike Katic, C- All-B1G Third Team (Media)– Honorable Mention All-B1G (Coaches)– Big Ten Sportsmanship Award– Anchored an offensive line that graded out as the No. 3 unit in the Big Ten and was named a Joe Moore Award semifinalist … Graded out as the No. 5 center in the Big Ten per Pro Football Focus (72.4) over 763 snaps at center … Started and served as a game captain in all 12 games … Helped IU rush for multiple rushing touchdowns in 11 of 12 games and tie the program record of 37 rushing touchdowns in a season … Helped IU score a program-record 69 offensive touchdowns.
Justice Ellison, RB- Honorable Mention (Coaches & Media)– Rated as the No. 3 running back in the Big Ten (87.9) per Pro Football Focus … Appeared in 12 games with six starts … Totaled 811 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns … Ranked No. 7 in the Big Ten in rushing touchdowns and No. 9 in yards rushing … Had a streak of seven-straight games with a rushing touchdown (Week 2-6, 8-9), the longest single-season streak at IU since Tevin Coleman in 2013 (nine straight), which was part of a 15-game streak that spanned 2013-14 … Rushed for 100 yards in back-to-back games against Nebraska (105) and Washington (123) and is the first IU running back with back-to-back 100-yard rushing games since Stevie Scott III in 2019 … Added 11 catches for 84 yards … Helped IU rush for multiple rushing touchdowns in 11 of 12 games and tie the program record of 37 rushing touchdowns in a season.
Zach Horton, TE- Honorable Mention (Coaches & Media)-Rated as the No. 2 pass blocking tight end in the Big Ten (77.3) … Started all 12 games … Caught at least one pass in nine of 12 games with four games of multiple catches … Pulled in four touchdown passes, with three in Big Ten play … Totaled 20 catches for 182 yards … Averaged 15.2 yards per reception … Averaged a touchdown catch every five receptions.
Carter Smith, OL- Honorable Mention (Media)-Anchored an offensive line that graded out as the No. 3 unit in the Big Ten and was named a Joe Moore Award semifinalist … Graded out as the No. 6 offensive lineman in the Big Ten per Pro Football Focus (78.1) over 763 snaps at left tackle … Started all 12 games … Helped IU rush for multiple rushing touchdowns in 11 of 12 games and tie the program record of 37 rushing touchdowns in a season … Helped IU score a program-record 69 offensive touchdowns … Ranked No. 4 among offensive tackles in the Big Ten in fewest total pressures allowed (10) in 2024.
Myles Price, WR-Honorable Mention (Media)– Was the No. 9 highest graded wide receiver in the Big Ten overall (79.2) … Appeared in 12 games with 10 starts … Totaled 33 receptions for 410 yards and two touchdowns … Added six rushes for 64 yards and one touchdown … Has caught a pass in 18 straight games – 17 with multiple catches – dating back to his time at Texas Tech … Finished No. 3 on the team in all-purpose yards (760) and garnered honorable mention All-Big Ten as a return specialist, as well.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Mark Langston, LS-Honorable Mention (Coaches & Media)– Snapped for every placement in 2024 … Posted the most field goal/extra point snaps of any snapper in the Big Ten (79) … Ranked No. 3 among all B1G snappers in fewest punts over 0.9 seconds and was No. 4 in snaps better than 0.9 seconds … Owned the second-fewest missed snaps in the Big Ten among starting long snappers.
Myles Price, RS- Honorable Mention (Media)– Along with his accolades at wideout, ranked No. 6 on IU’s single-season charts for punt return yardage (289) … Posted a 65-yard punt return against Washington for the longest punt return against an FBS opponent by a Hoosier since J-Shun Harris II against Ball State in 2018 … Ranked No. 7 nationally and No. 2 in the Big Ten in punt return average (12.6) … Totaled 23 punt returns on the season for the most by an IU returner since Tracy Porter (23) in 2007.
Nicolas Radicic, K- Honorable Mention (Media)
Led the FBS in made extra points (69) … Set Indiana’s single-season extra points record in just nine games to pass Mitch Ewald (56; 2013) … Ranks No. 10 in career extra points made (71) … Currently ranks tied for No. 8 on the Big Ten single-season list for extra points made with Noah Ruggles (Ohio State; 2022) … Connected on first eight career field goals to rank tied for No. 10 on Indiana’s consecutive field goals made charts … Is tied for No. 7 on the program’s single season scoring charts (96) … On pace for the first 100-point season at Indiana since Griffin Oakes (125; 2015).
Indiana University Men’s Basketball still looking for complete 40 minutes even though they won by 26 The Indiana Hoosiers took care of the Sam Houston Bearkats 97-71 Tuesday Night in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Indiana is 6-2 on the season and will host Miami (Ohio) Friday Night at 7pm. Sam Houston drops to 4-5 on the season as the Hoosiers lead the all-time series 2-0 as it was the first trip to Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall for the Bearkats since a 99-45 Hoosiers win on November 15, 2012.
Myles Rice led Indiana with 19 points, Luke Goode and Malik Reneau added 18 points apiece as Reneau pulled down 10 rebounds for a double double. Mackenize Mgbako added 13 points for the Hoosiers. Indiana finished 34-55 from the field 61%, 7-15 from three-point range for 46% and 22-29 from the free throw line for 77%. The Hoosiers pulled down 37 rebounds, dished out 18 assists, 7 steals, 2 blocks and committed 12 turnovers. The Hoosiers had 46 points in the paint and 36 bench points. Lamar Wilkerson led the Bearkats with 18 points, Cameron Huefner added 17 points, Dorian Finster scored 14 points, Brennan Burns and Josiah Hammonds scored 10 points apiece and Kalifa Sakho added 2 points. Sam Houston finished 26-61 from the field for 42%, 6-17 from three-point range for 35% and 13-20 from the free throw line for 65%. Sam Houston pulled down 25 rebounds, dished out 14 assists, 7 steals, 2 blocks, 32 points in the paint and committed 11 turnovers.
Luke Goode connected on 5-7 from beyond the arc and missed his only two-point attempt and finished 3-4 from the free throw line. Goode has gotten off to a slow start after transferring from Illinois but the Fort Wayne native is starting to get his confidence back and knocking down three pointers. “He was so happy when we recruited him to bring him back home, he started a little slow, but it’s a long season.” Indiana Head Coach Mike Woodson in talking about Goode. Once Goode came in the game and was able to be the spark off the bench and Mike Woodson made sure he was going to get touches. “I ran a few plays for him, but a lot of it was pushing the pace, he got a few on transitions.” Woodson said.
Indiana got off to a 5-0 start and then when Cameron Huefner hit a turnround three to beat the shot clock the Bearkats tied the game twice and took the lead 9-7 with a bucket by Lamar Wilkerson with 14:09 left in the first half. Indiana responded with 10-2 run and led by 20 points 34-14 with 5:22 left in the first half. The Hoosiers led 42-25 at halftime. In the second half Sam Houston cut the Hoosier lead to 48-39 with 16:25 left as the Hoosiers turned it back up and outscored Sam Houston 49-32 the rest of the way. While there were some wild swings Indiana Head Coach Mike Woodson was pleased with his team’s performance. “I thought it was a total team effort on everybody’s part, I’m pleased with our play on both ends of the floor.”
Bloomington South Grad and fifth year senior Anthony Leal played 25 minutes off the bench scoring 4 points, pulling down 4 rebounds, dishing out 4 assists and 2 steals. Leal did not play in the Bahamas, but Luke Goode appreciates having him as a teammate. “I think Anthony’s one of the best teammates I’ve ever played with.” Luke Goode said after the game. When Goode was asked about what wasn’t up to bar in the team’s performances against Louisville and Gonzaga, he had a simple answer “All toughness. I think we have one of the most talented teams in the country.” Goode Said and now that he is playing his final year for the cream and crimson, he makes sure that everyone knows how happy he is be to here. “I play as hard as I can everyday whenever I go out there to try and represent this university.”
Indiana University Football 9th in the Final College Football Playoff Rankings before Selection Sunday After a program-record victory over Purdue closed the regular season, the College Football Playoff committee has the Indiana football program slotted at No. 9 in its penultimate rankings on Tuesday night. The No. 9 ranking marks the fifth-straight week in 2024 and the 10th time in program history that IU has appeared in the CFP rankings. Indiana has ranked No. 5 (Week 2-3), No. 8 (Week 1) and No. 10 (Week 4) in 2024. In 2020, Indiana sat at No. 12 for three weeks and No. 11 during the final two weeks of the selections that season. The Big Ten saw five schools ranked and four programs in the top 10 of the fifth CFP rankings: Oregon (No. 1), Penn State (No. 3), Ohio State (No. 6), Indiana (No. 9) and Illinois (No. 21). No. 9/9/9 Indiana (11-1, 8-1 Big Ten) will await the final College Football Playoff rankings on Sunday, Dec. 8. The rankings show will air on ESPN from Noon-4 p.m.
College Football Playoff Rankings – Dec. 3
1. Oregon (12-0)
2. Texas (11-1)
3. Penn State (11-1)
4. Notre Dame (11-1)
5. Georgia (10-2)
6. Ohio State (10-2)
7. Tennessee (10-2)
8. SMU (11-1)
9. INDIANA (11-1)
10. Boise State (11-1)
11. Alabama (9-3)
12. Miami (Fla.) (10-2)
13. Ole Miss (9-3)
14. South Carolina (9-3)
15. Arizona State (10-2)
16. Iowa State (10-2)
17. Clemson (9-3)
18. BYU (10-2)
19. Missouri (9-3)
20. UNLV (10-2)
21. Illinois (9-3)
22. Syracuse (9-3)
23. Colorado (9-3)
24. Army (10-1)
25. Memphis (10-2)
Indiana University Football Assistant Coach Bryant Haines named a Semifinalist for the Broyles Award For the second straight season, Indiana football’s defensive coordinator Bryant Haines has been announced as a semifinalist for the Broyles Award, which honors college football’s top assistant coaches. In just his first year at IU, Haines has had an immediate impact on a unit that ranks among the top-10 in numerous defensive categories. He revived an Indiana defense that ranked 98th in scoring defense and 85th in total defense in 2023 into a top 5 defense in just one season. His unit has limited opponents to under 100-yards rushing in eight of 12 games in 2024, which is a program record (since 1950), and leads the FBS in rushing defense (70.8). His aggressive style of play helps IU rank top-20 nationally with 86.0 tackles for loss and 34.0 sacks on the season.
His defense has led the nation in rushing defense in each of the last two regular seasons. Per Pro Football Focus, Indiana has the No. 2 rated defense in the nation (94.2), behind only Texas. Overall, the defense has allowed 20-plus points on just three occasions in 2024, 30 points just once, and held the opposition to under 300-yards of total offense seven times. His ability to adjust in-game has been a plus for IU, as well, and none more impressive than holding Michigan State to 193 yards of total offense – including a program-record minus-36 yards rushing – after the Spartans gained 123 yards on the first two offensive drives of the game (70 yards on its next 10 drives – 7.0 yards per drive).
In Week 11, the Hoosiers held Michigan to 206 yards of total offense to mark its lowest offensive output since the start of the 2016 season. A Week 13 meeting with Ohio State saw IU hold the Buckeyes to its fourth-lowest total offense output (316 yards) since the beginning of the 2018 season. In Week 14, his unit limited Purdue to its fewest yards of total offense in program history (67) and helped Indiana posts its largest margin of victory against an FBS opponent.
Haines is one of 15 semifinalists that were selected from approximately 1,500 assistant coaches representing 131 FBS programs across the country. A selection committee of distinguished former head coaches, broadcasters and a committee representing the Football Writers Association of America will select five finalists from the list of semifinalists, and an overall winner. The Broyles Award was created in 1996 recognizing Coach Frank Broyles’ legacy of selecting and developing great assistants during his hall of fame career as head coach at Arkansas.
Southern Indiana makes its first trip to Simon Sjkodt Assembly Hall to battle the Indiana Hoosiers Women’s Basketball Team The Indiana Hoosiers will get one more Non-Conference test when the Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles make the trip up I-69 from Evansville for a 7pm tip off this evening in Simon Sjkodt Assembly Hall for the first ever meeting between the two teams with the game streaming on Big Ten Network Plus. Indiana will travel to Penn State Saturday afternoon for the Big Ten Opener for two more non-conference home games with Bellarmine and Oakland before restarting Conference Play on December 28, hosting Wisconsin.
Indiana is 5-3 on the season and coming off a 78-53 win over the Maine Black Bears Sunday Afternoon as the Hoosiers had their annual ALS Awareness Game wearing the road Red Jerseys and honoring Head Coach Teri Moren’s Late Mother Barb who passed away from the terrible disease on October 1, 2014, at age 74. Teri Moren has been Rasing money for ALS and always have one home game each season dedicated to Barb Moren and support the fight against ALS.
The Hoosiers there best shooting output of the season shooting 52 percent from the field going 30-57 and hitting 11 three pointers out of 22. Indiana dished out 25 assists, 11 steals 9 blocks and committed just 9 turnovers. Chloe Moore-McNeil led the way with 22 points, Lilly Meister added 18 points and 9 rebounds and Yarden Garzon added 11 points. Meister scored 13 points in the third quarter including 9 straight as the Hoosiers held off the Black Bears who got within two in the second quarter and Meister’s run put the Hoosiers up by points 19 midway through the third quarter. The Hoosiers come into this game averaging 67.1 points and committing 16.5 points per game. Indiana is shooting 41.8 percent from the field, 30.6 percent from three and 79 percent from the free throw line. Yarden Garzon leads the team in scoring with 13.8 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. Lilly Meister is averaging 11.6 points along with a team leading 6.8 rebounds. Shay Ceizki is averaging 11 points per game. Chloe Moore-McNeil McNeil is averaging 10.9 points along with a team leading 3.1 assists and 2.2 steals per game Sydney Parrish who is currently out with a knee injury is averaging 9.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and a team leading 1.5 blocks per game.
The Screaming Eagles come in with a record of 7-1 and have a six game winning streak since their only loss of the season on November 8, at Louisville 75-51. Junior Ali Saunders who played at North Harrison HS and Transferred from Valparaiso leads the team with 13.4 points, 4.4 assists and 3 steals per game. Senior Vanessa Shafford who played at Linton just 45 Minutes Southwest of Bloomington averages 12. 4 points and a team leading 5.9 rebounds per game. Senior Mederith Raley who played at Gibson Southern HS averages 12 points per game and Sophomore Amiyah Buchanan who played Evansville North HS and Transfered from Southeast Missouri State Averages 8.8 points and leads the team with 0.8 blocks per game. Seven players on the roster hail from the State of Indiana. Graduate Student Lexie Green played at Southport HS in Indianapolis. Graduate Student Madison Webb played at Bedford North Lawrence HS Just a half hour South of Bloomington starting her career at Southern Illinois-Edwardsville and Senior Lauren Carie played at Vincennes Rivet. The Remaining Roster includes two players from Kentucky and two from Illinois along with one from Tennessee. Southern Indiana averages 76 points per game and commits 15.4 turnovers per game. Southern Indiana is shooting 46 percent from the field, 39 percent from three point range and 65.7 percent from the free throw line.
Head Coach Rick Stein has been the head coach for 26 seasons with a 455-262 record and has been with the program for 34 seasons spending 8 as an assistant Coach and has a hand in 614 of the programs 762 victories. Southern Indiana made 12 Division II NCAA Tournament Appearances 3 Sweet 16, 2 Elite 8 and Final Four in 1997 along with 3 Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament Championships. Southern Indiana became a division 1 program on July 1,2022 and they are not eligible for the NCAA Tournament as part of a four year transition period and will be eligible for the Big Dance In the 2026-27 Season. The Screaming Eagles finished 25-7 and won the Ohio Valley Regular Season and Conference Tournament in 2024 with a 17-1 conference record and went to the WNIT lost at home in the second round to Wisconsin 67-62.