They were 4-8 in 2022. The next year, they went 3-9. In 2024, new head coach Curt Cignetti took the reins, but no one expected much. After all, it takes some time to see a new coach’s influence, but what Cignetti is commendable. This season, he took his team to 10-0. But he is not just a skillful coach. He knows how to balance his family time and this new update confirms just that.

November 9 has been indeed a big day that Hoosiers’ fans are going to remember for the longest time. After all, Cignetti’s boys crushed the 2023 defending champions, Michigan Wolverines, 20-15. Well, this win definitely called up for some big bash, but the HC was busy with his off-court duties on Saturday evening.

On the NBC Sports podcast on Nov. 11, Cignetti sat down for a chat with Dan Patrick, who asked him how he celebrated after their win over the Wolverines. That’s when Cignetti revealed big news about his family.

“Well, we had 18 people in the house. My youngest of three got engaged after the game on the field. So there was a lot of cause for celebration. And of course, you know, how it is, you get home after all that and watch a little football on TV and by 8 o’clock, your bed is calling you. I think we made it to 10 [p.m.]”

Dan Patrick: “What if you had lost? Was your son still going to get engaged?”
Curt Cignetti: “It was my daughter. With the groom-to-be, we had that discussion Friday night. I told him I was confident we would win. They had it set up on the scoreboard and I said but if we don’t, you know we’ll get home and everybody will have a good time after a drink and you gotta do it. So it probably wouldn’t happen on the field.”

Thankfully, plan A worked out as Cignetti’s daughter got a wonderful proposal. But did you know the proposal had an Indiana Hoosiers reference in it?

Curt Cignetti’s daughter received a memorable proposal!

Well, Cignetti has three kids: Curtis John, Carly Ann, and Natalie Elise. It was his youngest, Natalie Elise, and her boyfriend, Trent VanHorn, who stole away the attention that evening and got engaged on the Memorial Stadium field. The proposal was for everyone to see as the Jumbotron read, “Natalie every day with you is 10-0. Will you marry me?”

She said yes!

The 10-0 was obviously a reference to the Hoosiers’ undefeated run this season. It really does seem like the Head Coach was quite confident they would win. After all, they were 9-0 before their win against the Wolverines.

Interesting Fact: The 10-0 mention is also special because Curt Cignetti took Indiana to its 10-win season in program history.

Natalie graduated from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, IUP, in 2018. There she was an All-American outside hitter for the women’s volleyball team. Now, IUP may not be associated with Indiana University, but it is the very place Frank Cignetti, Curt Cignetti’s father, was the head football coach. Post her IUP chapter, she attended the Wake Forest School of Medicine and that’s where she met VanHorn, who was a graduate of the Wake Forest basketball team. He is currently a resident physician in Indiana.

And, of course, Cignetti was happy with not just the game, but the fact that his youngest got engaged. He snapped a picture of the Jumbotron proposal, posted on X with the caption, “Great way to cap off a gritty win!” 

The team looks great as they head into their next game against Ohio State on Nov. 23. Indiana ranks #5 in week 12 CFB rankings. The top 5 are as follows:

It will be interesting to see how they perform ahead, don’t you think? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Besides post-game scoops, if you hold an interest in the NFL, you can check on the latest episode of the Think Tank podcast.