MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – JANUARY 19: Head coach Curt Cignetti of the Indiana Hoosiers hoists the College Football Playoff National Championship Trophy after defeating the Miami Hurricanes 27-21 in the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship at Hard Rock Stadium on January 19, 2026 in Miami Gardens, Florida.  (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

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Jett Hatch

By Jett Hatch

Contributing Sports Writer

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Freshman receiver Ace Ciongoli becomes one of Indiana’s first offseason departures following its title run

Just hours after the Indiana Hoosiers completed one of the most remarkable seasons in college football history, capturing the College Football Playoff National Championship, the program has already felt the early effects of postseason roster turnover.

Freshman wide receiver Ace Ciongoli has entered the NCAA transfer portal, as first reported by transfer tracker accounts on social media. The move was confirmed by TransferPortal.com’s official X account, which listed Ciongoli among the latest Hoosiers to make himself available to other schools.

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Ciongoli, a freshman from Needham, Massachusetts, joined Indiana’s offense last season and was part of a talented and deep receiving corps assembled under head coach Curt Cignetti. The Hoosiers just completed the second 16–0 season in college football history (the first since 1894 Yale) en route to the program’s first national title.

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The Hoosiers' offseason is already shaping up as a busy one on the personnel front. While Ciongoli’s departure marks one of the first wide receiver losses following the championship, other position groups are in flux as players recalibrate their roles and opportunities elsewhere. For example, Indiana has also seen quarterback depth reshaped, with backup QB Alberto Mendoza entering the transfer portal shortly after the title game in search of playing time.

Indiana’s coaching staff, led by Cignetti, has utilized the transfer portal aggressively in recent years to rebuild the program, both in attracting talent and now in managing departures. As the Hoosiers prepare for the 2026 season as defending national champions, navigating portal movement will be a key part of sustaining success in a rapidly evolving roster landscape.

More details on Ciongoli’s destination and potential offers are expected in the coming weeks as schools continue to evaluate their needs during the portal window.

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