IDS 2026 Freshman Edition
INSIDE
PHOTOS: INDIANA FOOTBALL WINS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Indiana Daily Student | idsnews.com
Indiana Daily Student | idsnews.com
WELCOME How Cignetti led IU to college football summit CLASS OF 2030! By Dalton James
jamesdm@iu.edu | @DaltonMJames
Congratulations on your acceptance to IU Bloomington and becoming a Hoosier! The editors of the Indiana Daily Student have compiled some of the biggest stories of the last academic year for this Freshman Edition of the newspaper. The IDS is an independent, student-run news source that was first established in 1867. Everything produced here is produced by students. The IDS is home to reporters and writers, photographers, graphic designers, social media content creators and web designers. If you are interested in working for the IDS, please reach out to editor@idsnews.com and be on the lookout for us at student involvement fairs throughout the school year. We hope you enjoy the stories we’ve put together for you. We’re wishing you all the very best in your first year at IU!
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Curt Cignetti tried to place his glasses on the collar of his red quarter zip as he walked toward midfield. Ultimately, he held them in his right hand. The second-year Indiana football head coach smiled, which he seldom does, as he raised both arms and pointed toward the sky. The Hoosiers had just completed one of the greatest stories in college football history with their 27-21 victory over the No. 10 University of Miami in the College Football Playoff National Championship. It was an accomplishment worthy of the rare sign of satisfaction. But in perhaps the most historic moment of Cignetti’s 43-year coaching career, his father, Frank Cignetti Sr., was on his mind. “Hopefully he was watching today,” Cignetti said postgame. “He was a great role model. I was very blessed to have a father like that.” Cignetti’s path to becoming a head coach
PRESORT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Indianapolis, IN PERMIT NO. 279
Mateo Fuentes-Rohwer and Jonathan Frey Co-Editors-in-Chief
From the third grade, Cignetti’s eyes were set on leading a program. After four collegiate seasons playing quarterback, he began his coaching career as a graduate assistant and made five stops before what
he’s deemed the most important one. Cignetti’s four seasons at the University of Alabama under legendary head coach Nick Saban taught him how to overcome the difficulties of achieving greatness. Although the Crimson Tide went 7-6 in Saban’s first season at the helm, it brought all the lessons Cignetti learned together. He wound up spending three more seasons under Saban, including a perfect 14-0 campaign in 2009 capped by a national championship. Cignetti was approaching his 50th birthday. Throughout his years entrenched in college football, he was familiar with careerlong assistants. They were guys who spent 40-plus years working under a head coach but never leading their own team. Cignetti didn’t want to finish his career that way. “I'd seen what those lives look like as a kid,” he said. “So, I took a chance.”
ty of Pennsylvania, it was an “unprecedented” move, he said, from one of the sport’s most prestigious programs to a Football Championship Subdivision squad. He led the Crimson Hawks to a 5317 mark over his six seasons. He waxed tables inside the program’s facility when the school shut down for the playoffs. Cignetti continued his climb through the
ranks, taking head coaching jobs at Elon University and eventually James Madison University. The kind of success Cignetti found at JMU was foreign to the Hoosiers at the time. Indiana Universit y President Pamela Whitten and Athletic
Director Scott Dolson sought a change after the 3-9 2023 season. Cignetti wasn’t looking to leave Harrisonburg, Virginia. It was a place he viewed as his last stop — one he could retire at. But as the 62-yearold had conversations with Whitten and Dolson, he remained steadfast in his winning ways, ones he knew he could take to Bloomington. “I know Indiana's football history has been pretty poor with some good years sprinkled in tere,” Cignetti said. “It was because it wasn't an emphasis on football, plain and simple.” SEE CIGNETTI, PAGE A6
LAUREN MCKINNEY | IDS
Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti looks into the crowd before kickoff in a game against UCLA on Oct. 25, 2025, at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington. Indiana football won its first national championship in 2026.
From waxing tables to leading Indiana football When Cignetti left Alabama for Indiana Universi-
IUDM raises millions for Riley Children’s Hospital By Kendall Geller kmgeller@iu.edu
At 7:10 a.m. Nov. 9, students in rainbow tie-dyed shirts, decked out in glitter, tutus, neon-colored wigs and ribbon took their places on the stage and against the walls of the IU Tennis Center, waiting for their cue. They burst into motion all at once as a mashup of pop songs blasted from the speakers. For 12 minutes, they moved in sync, performing the dance they’d been rehearsing for months. of people Hundreds gathered in the center of the room, some standing, some singing, some dancing along. Others sat and lay on the floor, blankets
wrapped around them while they leaned on their friends with half-opened eyes. Weak cheers rang from the crowd, tinged with excitement despite their rasp after hours of use. It was hour 35 of the annual IU Dance Marathon, and the dancers from IUDM’s morale committee fought to bring enough energy to the room to keep hundreds of participants awake long enough for the final reveal. Forty-five minutes later, they were on their feet, anticipation having replaced exhaustion. The crowd chanted, “Kids can’t wait,” and held up their phones to record the 15 people lined up on stage. Members of IUDM’s accounting committee flipped over
TRINITY MACKENZIE | IDS
IU Dance Marathon members hug after the total amount raised is revealed Nov. 9, 2025, at the IU Tennis Center in Bloomington. IUDM surpassed 2024’s total by over $77,000.
blank posters one by one, slowly revealing this year’s marathon fundraising total.
Finally, they showed the full amount: $3,135,391.23. This surpassed last year’s
total by over $77,000. SEE IUDM, PAGE A7
Caleb Hearon talks chicken wings and depression in conversation at IU By Steven Leatherwood sjleathe@iu.edu
Hundreds of people began lining up outside the IU Auditorium up to two hours before “A Conversation With Caleb Hearon” took place at 7 p.m. April 14. When the doors opened, the crowd flooded inside to get the best seat to watch one of Rolling Stone’s most influential creators of the past year. Hearon isn’t just famous for internet pursuits like his podcast, “So True with Caleb Hearon.” He is also a comedian, writer and actor, with roles in “Jurassic World: Dominion,” “Pizza Movie” and the film “The Devil Wears Prada 2.” The conversation with Hearon was part of Granfalloon, the annual arts festival inspired by Indiana author Kurt Vonnegut presented by the IU Arts and Humanities
Council. Bethany Habegger, communications and community outreach coordinator for the council, said they chose Vonnegut’s 1976 novel, “Slapstick,” to encompass this year’s theme. “We were just really fixated on, kind of, comedians that could speak to that, like, Midwestern charm, but also the Midwestern experience at large,” Habegger said. “And Caleb Hearon was at the top of all of our lists.” Hearon participated in an hour-long interview-style lecture with Lucy Gray, IU Union Board’s director of lectures. Throughout the talk, Gray asked Hearon questions about his career, his social impact and how he was enjoying Bloomington. “I ate too much at BuffaLouie’s,” Hearon said near the beginning of the talk, to the applause of the audience.
Hearon and the audience laughed at Gray’s short responses to Hearon’s longwinded rants on subjects like the rise of TikTok comedians and his relationship with his mother. Hearon repeatedly called Gray a “diva” throughout the interview. While the conversation was filled with Hearon’s selfproclaimed “gay rambling” and jokes, he also gave practical advice for young people and touched on serious issues. He talked about his own journey with depression as a college student and encouraged everyone to not be afraid to make mistakes in their 20s. Because of the state of the world due to billionaires, he said, people should “have fun.” Hearon said he couldn’t believe comedians like him and other performers like drag queens are looked up
to for their politics. He even made a joking jab at recurring podcast guest and drag queen, Trixie Mattel. “Not a brain cell under that wig,” Hearon said. The talk wrapped up with rapid-fire questions from Gray, including inquiries about Hearon’s least favorite color (purple) and his favorite musical artist (Hayley Williams). Student-led comedy troupes tabled inside the auditorium before the event for “The Funny 501,” a comedy festival happening April 17 and 18 featuring IU’s Full Frontal Comedy. Members of the troupe, Brenzlee Johnson, Zach Gates and Carson Cannatella, were thrilled to hear that Caleb Hearon was coming to speak at IU. “We’re just here to get the word out. Let everyone know that if you loved Ca-
JIMMY RUSH | IDS
Comedian Caleb Hearon (left) talks to director of Union Board lectures Lucy Gray (right) on April 14, 2026, inside the IU Auditorium in Bloomington. The event began at 7 p.m.
leb Hearon and you’re like, ‘Oh, why don’t we have more comedy at IU?’, like, we are here,” Johnson said. Hearon started his comedy career much like the members, at a university comedy troupe at his alma mater Missouri State University.
Having grown up in Missouri, Hearon said during the talk, Indiana felt like home, and he loved the Midwest. “In the good ways and the bad ways,” Hearon said. This story was originally published April 14, 2026.