Curt Cignetti to Drive the Pace Car for the Indianapolis 500 A two-time national coach of the year and 2025 national champion, Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti will lead the field as the honorary Pace Car driver for the 110th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. Cignetti will drive the all-new Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X – the most advanced Corvette ever, designed and built right here in the United States – to lead the field of 33 drivers to the start of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” Exact Pace Car details, including the one-of-a-kind Indianapolis 500 livery, will be unveiled at a later date. Since his announcement as head coach in December 2023, Cignetti and Indiana own a nation’s-best 27 victories across two seasons, two College Football Playoff appearances and IU’s first national title during the 2025 season. He won 14 of the 17 national Coach of the Year awards for which he was eligible in his first two seasons at Indiana. Cignetti is the first FBS coach to win consecutive national Coach of the Year awards from the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), Associated Press, ESPN Home Depot, The Sporting News and Walter Camp Foundation.
He is the first-ever Division I head coach to start 8-0 or better in consecutive seasons at different institutions and the third ever to begin consecutive seasons at 10-0. He is also just the third Big Ten head coach to start each of his first two seasons with at least an 8-0 record. Along with the national accolades, Cignetti is the first coach to win both the Hayes-Schembechler (coaches vote) and Dave McClain (media vote) Big Ten Coach of the Year awards in consecutive seasons in conference history. “Coach Cignetti will have our field in a special victory lap formation as he leads the stars of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES to the green flag at this year’s Indy 500,” INDYCAR and IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. “His Hoosiers have been nothing short of remarkable, and their National Championship run inspired our entire state. He’s the perfect choice to drive the Chevrolet Pace Car, and I know his introduction on Race Day will bring out a special roar of appreciation from our crowd.”
Previous Indy 500 Pace Car drivers include Michael Strahan, Morgan Freeman, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Robin Roberts, Patrick Dempsey, Ken Griffey Jr., Tyrese Haliburton and more esteemed Race Day guests. FOX Sports is the exclusive home of all INDYCAR action, with all 18 NTT INDYCAR SERIES races set to broadcast on network television via FOX in 2026. This includes the world-famous Indianapolis 500, annually the largest single-day spectator sporting event on the globe. Coverage of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” will be extensive for fans across the country, with a six-hour Race Day window on FOX for the second consecutive year. The 2026 Indy 500 is set for Sunday, May 24, with FOX’s live coverage kicking off at 10 a.m. ET. Tickets for the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Sunday, May 24 and all other Month of May events are available at IMS.com/Tickets or via the IMS Ticket Office at 317-492-6700.
Indiana University Freshman Liberty Clark Breaks School Record in the 200 Yard Freestyle at the NCAA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships It took less than a year for Anna Peplowski’s NCAA Championship-winning 200-yard freestyle record to fall. 362 days later, Indiana freshman Liberty Clark – who hadn’t been faster than 1:45.76 prior to college – swam the third-fastest 200 free in NCAA history, leading off IU’s 800 freestyle relay with a 1:39.70 Wednesday (March 18) night at the 2026 NCAA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships inside the McAuley Aquatic Center in Atlanta. Clark became the fifth woman all-time to break the 1:40 barrier and passed Virginia sophomore Anna Moesch – the top seed in Thursday’s individual 200 free event – who went 1:39.72 at the ACC Championships last month. Notably, Moesch anchored UVA’s winning 800 free relay in 1:39.03 Wednesday night. Clark and Moesch were the only swimmers to split 1:39 in the relay.
The freshman’s time also broke the 17-18 NAG record, coming in six tenths faster than Missy Franklin’s 12-year old mark of 1:40.31 from 2014. Clark is the second Hoosier this season to break a 17-18 NAG record – Noah Cakir swam a 1:50.47 200-yard breaststroke at the Big Ten Championships last month. Clark set the tone in Indiana’s program-record breaking 800 freestyle relay that featured three freshmen. Clark, classmate Alex Shackell, junior Macky Hodges and freshman Grace Hoeper combined to throw down a 6:48.85, 2.26 seconds faster than their time from the Big Ten Championships. The quartet has trimmed 5.18 seconds off the previous program record (6:54.03) set at the 2024 NCAA Championships. Indiana finished fifth in the event, tying a program record finish in the event (2010 and 2024). Shackell followed Clark with a 1:41.47, as IU led halfway through the race. Hodges contributed a 1:44.59, and Hoeper anchored in 1:43.09.
IU ranks No. 8 in the team standings with 46 points after swimming two of three events on the first day of the national meet. Indiana swam the 200-yard medley relay in the morning with the second-fastest heat, finishing second in that heat with a season-best 1:34.26. The Hoosier quartet would place ninth overall following the final heat in the evening. Junior Miranda Grana gave IU the lead after 50 yards with 23.77 backstroke split, and sophomore Jonette Laegreid followed with a 27.24 on the breaststroke leg. Freshman Alex Shackell split the second-fastest butterfly leg with 22.27, and senior Kristina Paegle anchored in 20.98; she was one of six swimmers under 21 seconds.
In both opening night relays, Indiana dropped time and moved up the rankings from its seeds coming into the meet. The 200-medley relay rose from 13th to ninth. “A super positive first day for the Indiana Hoosiers, highlighted obviously by the 800-freestyle relay,” IU head swimming coach Ray Looze said. “Liberty Clark, new program record leading off, the No. 3 time ever. Alex Shackell, awesome split, Macky did her job, and then Grace, awesome anchor. Three freshmen on that relay, new program record. Great start there, and the medley relay really moved up getting ninth. So, a solid first day. We did the best we possible could, moved up in every regard. Now it’s time to be able to get them loosened up and rested mentally from an exciting first day so we can have a great Thursday.”
Indiana University Softball takes down IU Indy in Midweek Matchup An early pitching change was a catalyst for the Indiana softball team in a 6-3 victory over IU Indy on Wednesday on Andy Mohr Field. IU Indy (3-23) grabbed a 2-0 lead with no outs in the first inning before Brook Mannon (4-0) entered in relief and got Indiana (22-6) out of the jam. The Hoosiers would get a run back in the first inning and use a four-run third inning to take the lead and grind out a 6-3 midweek victory.
After starting pitcher Aubree Hooks (ND) allowed a pair of runs on two hits and two walks, Brooke Mannon (4-0) entered and tossed 5.1 innings of relief work with five strikeouts and one unearned run allowed. The Hoosiers got a run back in the bottom of the first when Aly VanBrandt singled, stole second and eventually scored on a fielding error by IU Indy. After Mannon recorded six straight outs in the second and third innings, IU posted a four-run third inning highlighted by back-to-back RBI hits from Madalyn Strader and Ellie Goins and a two-run home run by Alli Gavin. IU Indy added an unearned run in the fourth inning on a double steal of second and home. The final run of the game came in similar fashion as VanBrandt was caught stealing at second after Nevaeh Nash slid across home plate safely. Ella Troutt (2) posted her second save of the season with 1.2 innings of scoreless relief work. She allowed one hit and walked one.
Mannon allowed just three base runners and struck out five in 5.1 innings of work, the second-longest out of her career and longest of her Indiana tenure. Gavin hit her fifth home run of the season and posted her third multi-RBI and multi-hit game of the season. All three of her multi-hit games have featured a home run. VanBrandt has a hit in seven straight games and 25 of 28 games this season after reaching base three times with a single and two walks. She has reached base in 27 of 28 games on the season. Avery Parker doubled as part of her seventh multi-hit game this season. The double marked five straight games with an extra base hit. IU is now 21-2 this season when scoring six-or-more runs in a game. The team is also 19-1 when allowing three-or-fewer runs in a game. Indiana will hit the road for a three-game series at Maryland (13-14, 1-5 B1G). The Hoosiers and Terrapins will kick off the series at 6 p.m. Friday, March 20, in College Park, Maryland.
Five Former Indiana University Baseball Players to Participate in the Major League Baseball Spring Breakout Series Five former Hoosiers will participate in the MLB Spring Breakout Series – designed to promote the game’s future stars in each organization. Each team will play at least one game over the coming days today through Sunday against some of the best prospects from each farm system. All 16 contests will be streamed live on MLB.com and the MLB app. IU’s cohort of athletes all played at some point in the last three seasons under head coach Jeff Mercer. Outfielder Phillip Glasser (Nationals), right-handed pitcher Ben Grable (Yankees), outfielder Nick Mitchell (Guardians), outfielder Devin Taylor (Athletics) and outfielder Korbyn Dickerson (Mariners) will all get their chance to compete in exhibitions against MLB Top 100 Prospects as the spring comes to an end.
Between 2025 and 2026, IU has had eight former players named to Spring Breakout Rosters. Catcher Brock Tibbitts (Blue Jays), right-handed pitcher Connor Foley (Diamondbacks) and right-handed pitcher Craig Yoho (Brewers) got in on the action last season. Yoho would go on to pitch in the big leagues by the end of the year. Grable, Dickerson and Taylor are all entering their first full seasons of professional baseball after wrapping up their time in Bloomington in 2025. Both players are currently top-15 prospects in their respective organizations as the 2026 campaign begins. Glasser and Mitchell have both worked up the ladder with the Nationals and Guardians respectively and will have the chance to compete against fellow prospects this weekend.
MLB Spring Breakout Series – Indiana
Ben Grable, RHP (Yankees)
Nick Mitchell, OF (Guardians)
Devin Taylor, OF (Athletics)
Korbyn Dickerson, OF (Mariners)
Phillip Glasser, OF (Nationals)
Former Indiana Hoosier Wide Receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine Signs with the Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are signing wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. Westbrook-Ikhine is a six-year NFL veteran. He played the first five seasons of his career with the Tennessee Titans and played with the Miami Dolphins in 2025. Last season, Westbrook-Ikhine had 11 catches for 89 yards. In 2024, he had his career high in yards and touchdowns, hauling in 32 catches for 497 yards and nine touchdowns. “It’s a great organization,” Westbrook-Ikhine said about the Colts. “It’s a team I’ve always been a fan of just being at IU and growing up watching Reggie Wayne, Marvin Harrison. I’ve kind of always been a fan of the team, but then just the season they had last year, I can see what they’re building. I’ve always seen it as a team that has a great culture and something I want to be a part of. So, it just worked out. Going into free agency this year I told my agent, ‘Look, if Indy is an option, I’d love to be there.’” Westbrook-Ikhine played at IU from 2015-2019. He had 144 catches for 2,226 yards and 16 touchdowns in his career with the Hoosiers. His best statistical season was in 2016 as a sophomore, when he had 54 catches for 995 yards and six touchdowns.
Big Ten Conference Announces a New Baseball Format for the 2026 Baseball Tournament The Big Ten Conference announced today that tickets are on sale for the 2026 Big Ten Conference Baseball Tournament Presented by IFS.ai, which takes place May 19-24 at Charles Schwab Field Omaha in Omaha, Neb. All-session tickets can be purchased by clicking here . Single-game tickets will be available on May 13.
The Big Ten postseason tournament, featuring 12 teams, will have a new look this spring. The first three days of the tournament will feature double-elimination brackets, pairing eight teams seeded No. 5-12. Four games will be held on Tuesday, May 19, and Wednesday, May 20, and two games contested on Thursday, May 21, to produce four qualifiers. The four advancing teams will face seeds No. 1-4 in single-elimination quarterfinals on Friday, May 22. Semifinals take place Saturday, May 23, followed by the championship game on Sunday, May 24.
“The new tournament format for the Big Ten is an important and positive change for our conference,” said Rutgers Head Coach Steve Owens, chair of the Big Ten coaches group. “The double-elimination portion guarantees teams at least two meaningful games with a chance to advance to the single-elimination quarterfinals. At the same time, the single-elimination portion rewards the top four teams from the regular season and sets up an exciting week for players and fans alike at Charles Schwab Field.”
All 17 tournament games will be carried live by the Big Ten Network. The tournament champion receives the conference’s automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament. Nebraska has captured the last two tournament titles, drawing over 15,000 spectators to last year’s final. Three Big Ten teams are currently ranked in the national polls. UCLA is the consensus No. 1-ranked team while USC is listed at No. 10 and Oregon at No. 13 by Perfect Game. UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky is back for his junior season after earning three national player of the year awards in 2025. Charles Schwab Field Omaha will be hosting the Big Ten Tournament for the ninth time since 2014.
Taylor University Baseball Remains #3 In the NAIA Top 25 Baseball Poll Taylor collected a pair of first-place votes and remained at No. 3 in the second regular-season edition of the 2026 GoRout NAIA Baseball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll, revealed on Wednesday afternoon by NAIA headquarters. The Trojans have appeared in 18 consecutive polls dating back to the 2023 season. TU (22-3, 10-2 CL) notched its best start through 25 games following a sweep of Spring Arbor last weekend. The Trojans, who rank fifth in the NAIA in runs, outscored the Cougars 49-15 in the four-game series at Winterholter Field. TU garnered 425 points in this week’s poll after it posted a 6-2 mark since the previous polling, which also included a pair of ranked road wins at No. 24 Huntington.
Among NAIA national stat leaders, TU pitching is tied for fourth in WHIP (1.22), ranks fifth in strikeouts-per-nine innings (11.06) and seventh in ERA (3.25). At the plate, the Trojans rank seventh in home runs (39) and slugging (.570), eighth in batting average (.344) and 11th in extra-base hits (101). The Trojans are averaging nearly 11 runs per game, while producing 10 or more runs in 14 of 25 contests. LSU Shreveport stays at No. 1 in the poll, riding an eight-game win streak while earning 13 first-place votes. Georgia Gwinnett remains right behind at No. 2 with one first-place vote, while Taylor holds steady at No. 3 and collected two first-place votes. The third-ranked Trojans return to action this weekend at Mount Vernon Nazarene (13-8, 7-5 CL), before commencing an eight-game homestand at Winterholter Field. TU will host Bethel on Friday-Saturday, March 27-28, and Saint Francis on Thursday (April 2) and Saturday (April 4) before Easter.