It did not take lengthy for Indiana’s historic season to pay dividends for head coach Curt Cignetti.
On Saturday, the Hoosiers prolonged Cignetti lower than a 12 months after initially signing him, giving him an eight-year deal price as much as $72 million.
On Nov. 30, 2023, Indiana employed Cignetti to a six-year, $27 million contract.
The primary-year Indiana head coach, who boasted about his profitable resume earlier than the season, has rapidly reworked this system.
Indiana (10-0, 7-0 in Large Ten) is within the midst of its first 10-win season and is trending towards a berth within the 12-team School Soccer Playoff.
It performs CFP No. 2 Ohio State (8-1, 5-1 in Large Ten) within the largest recreation in program historical past subsequent Saturday, Nov. 23.
With a win, a house recreation in opposition to lowly Purdue (1-8, 0-6 in Large Ten) would be the solely factor standing between the Hoosiers and a visit to their first Large Ten championship recreation.
With the convention title recreation at Lucas Oil Area in Indianapolis, the Hoosiers might probably play in a de facto residence recreation for an opportunity at a CFP first-round bye.
ESPN’s Football Power Index is pessimistic about Indiana’s possibilities, solely giving it a 13.1 % probability to win out and a 14.9 % probability to win the Large Ten.
No matter how this season ends, Cignetti’s extension suggests the Hoosiers will not be a one-year marvel.
In 14 seasons as a university soccer head coach, Cignetti is 129-35. He started his head teaching profession at Division II IUP earlier than transferring to FCS Elon.
Cignetti coached James Madison for 5 seasons, the final two after the Dukes transitioned to FBS.
He is 62-9 in three seasons at school soccer’s high division and has by no means had a shedding season at any stage.
After ranking 16th in the Big Ten in 247 Sports activities’ highschool staff recruiting rankings in 2024, Indiana is up three spots in the 2025 class rankings.
Cignetti and his workers’s potential to develop gamers shall be key to Indiana’s potential to maintain its 2024 kind.
His historical past makes it doubtless that it will not be an issue.
Per 247 Sports activities, James Madison’s 2022 and
2023 recruiting classes underneath Cignetti ranked final within the Solar Belt, but he averaged 9.5 wins these seasons.
Indiana must also be engaging for gamers within the switch portal.
Cignetti relied heavily on the portal to fill out his first Hoosiers roster.
A number of former James Madison gamers have been vital contributors, and quarterback Kurtis Rourke, who performed at Ohio from 2019-23, is a darkish horse contender to be a Heisman finalist. This season, he’s 171-of-238 (71.8 %) for two,410 yards (10.1 yards per try), 21 touchdowns and 4 interceptions.
Indiana’s switch portal success ought to make it engaging to prospects.
The Hoosiers have been one in every of school soccer’s greatest tales, and Cignetti’s extension doubtless means they’re simply getting began.
