Eric Austin

Dad, husband, teacher, coach. Co-President of Pewaukee Youth football and Cheer

[Milan Momcilovic @MilanMomcilovi5]

BBN!💙

[UK Sports Network @UKSportsNetwork]

Braxton Van Cleave will play with extra protection this weekend, but a facemask is nothing new. The 3-year starting QB in Texas' largest HS classification had his dad as OC. Even as his baseball future took off, he never walked away from football.

[Eric Austin @eaustin45]

Big moment for this guy last night. Stepped in to the box in the bottom of the 7th with bases loaded, down a run and delivered. Proud of you, G!

[Pewaukee Girls Basketball @PewGirlsHoops]

This never gets old…

Version 5.0!

Thank you, Pewaukee community! We are grateful for your support!

[Eric Austin @eaustin45]

@BobbyEdwards3d Go get em Bobby! Proud of you!

[Eric Austin @eaustin45]

@CadeReikowski @NUFBFamily Congrats Cade!

[Eric Austin @eaustin45]

@JackTabb2 @CoachTimNDSU @CoachChewy80 @NDSUfootball @FBCoachLarson @MisterLilly @PHSPirateFB @JustinFriske @Mr_Nellis @trenchtraining @CoachKubacki Congrats Jack! Proud of you!

[Joe Pompliano @JoePompliano]

Curt Cignetti will soon sign a new contract with Indiana that pays him at least $12.5 million per year.

But after digging into the numbers, Cignetti might still be the most undervalued coach in college football (and not for the reason you might think).

We all know what Cignetti has done at IU is remarkable — he turned a perennial cellar-dweller into the national championship favorite just two years after his arrival.

This has transformed IU's athletic department:

• Before the 2025 season even kicked off, ticket revenue for IU's football team had surpassed $13 million.

• Indiana announced a $50 million stadium naming rights deal with Merchants Bank.

• Fundraising has hit a record high, with billionaire IU alum Mark Cuban donating to the athletic department for the first time ever.

But that's the obvious stuff; Cignetti's real impact comes in the admissions office.

IU's football team is essentially a marketing vehicle for the university — 24 million people watched them win the Rose Bowl, 18 million watched them win the Big Ten Championship, and when College Gameday visited Indiana's campus last year, more than 2 million people watched a 3-hour commercial about the school.

This publicity is worth hundreds of millions of dollars and is having a real impact on Indiana's finances.

In 2025 alone, Indiana University set school records for total enrollment (48,626 students), freshman class size (10,127 students), first-year out-of-state students (4,697), and application volume (73,400).

Indiana University Applicants
• 2019-20: 44,178
• 2020-21: 46,623
• 2021-22: 50,159
• 2022-23: 54,345
• 2023-24: 67,731
• 2024-25: 73,400

But since IU can only admit so many students each year, they leverage the additional demand to 1) rotate the composition of their student body toward out-of-state students, and 2) become more selective academically.

Out-of-state students now account for about 50% of IU's total enrollment, with the school admitting a total of 4,697 new out-of-state students in 2025 — roughly 500 more out-of-state students than IU's previous record.

This is an important distinction because out-of-state students pay $30,000 more in annual tuition – $12,000 for Indiana residents versus $42,000 for non-residents.

500 new out-of-state students
x $30,000 tuition difference
–––––––––
= $15 million annually

If you multiply that by a four-year degree, these out-of-state students are worth $60 million more to IU than their in-state counterparts.

And since football success attracts more applicants, IU's admissions office can be more selective.

Indiana's Fall 2025 class had a median high school GPA of 3.94 — the highest in IU admissions history.

This creates a virtuous cycle.

Better sports → more applicants → better students → higher rankings. Higher rankings then lead to even more applicants, and, eventually, higher tuition revenues.

This is exactly what happened at Alabama with Nick Saban, and it's a big reason why Indiana is completely comfortable giving Cignetti new contracts every year.

P.S. If you enjoyed this breakdown, join 135,000 others who learn about the business and money behind sports by reading my 3x weekly newsletter: https://t.co/OgN8EYGDHY

[Eric Austin @eaustin45]

Preach, JJ!

[JJ Watt @JJWatt]

Like many others, been saying it for years.

Anyone who discourages your child from playing multiple sports does not have your child’s best interests in mind.

Period.

[NDSU Football @NDSUfootball]

𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐍𝐄𝐃 ✍️

Tucker Thieneman, a 6-4, 300 offensive lineman from Pewaukee High School in Wisconsin is officially a Bison.

#NSD26

[Cade Reikowski 2027 @CadeReikowski]

Junior Year Highlights!
6’7”
285
3.6 GPA
First Team All Conference!
All region!
1st Team All State!
@PHSPirateFB
https://t.co/RZyVbl3xW5

[Eric Austin @eaustin45]

A tough kid who just gets it done. Incredibly proud of his senior season!

[Omar Cherrington @Omarcherringt26]

Senior highlights ‼️

RB
1,340 yards
5.3 YPC
Classic 8 conference
2nd team all conference

https://t.co/8hhMPuGorX

Thank you to all my coaches for a great season and proud of my team for what we have done. Got more work to do.

[Pewaukee HS Football @PHSPirateFB]

Congrats to @CadeReikowski ! 1st Team All-State!
#PiratePride
#FortheP

[Eric Austin @eaustin45]

Todays the day! PYFA Meat raffle starts at 12:00.

Tickets to enter the raffles are $2.00 each or 3 for $5.00. We have 14 boxes and prizes to raffle off throughout the day as well as 50/50 raffles.

Cash and Card accepted. Come celebrate a Pirate win with us.

Curlys Waterfront

[Eric Austin @eaustin45]

“It’s about people…” so important. Such a fantastic leader and example
of positive coaching. Holding guys accountable while still showing them the love and respect they need to thrive!

[Jason Wilde @jasonjwilde]

This man’s baseball team will play in the NLCS for a trip to the World Series.

Yes, the three HRs mattered. Yes, the phenomenal pitching mattered.

But man, what Murph tells Costas here … 🥹

“It’s about people. The success that people think we’re having, it’s about the ‘Who.’”

[Bound Wisconsin @Bound_wi]

Week 5 Bound Wisconsin Football Team of the Week Nominees

Bloomer
D.C. Everest
Kaukauna
Muskego
Pewaukee

Vote here:

https://t.co/Auqr2i3dKI #wisfb

[Colton Wall, 2028, Nickel and OLB, MIF @coltonwall_]

Weeks 1-3 Highlights!

- OLB/Safety
- 13.5 TOT
- 1 TFL
- 1 Sack
- 5’ 10” 170lbs
- C/o 2028
- Team 2-1
- 4.07 GPA

@PrepRedzoneWI @MJ_NFLDraft @PHSPirateFB @TravisBOUND

https://t.co/y72extBD7k

[Eric Austin @eaustin45]

First day of being a high school athletes dad. Proud of this guy. He continues to try to one up my high school accomplishments (he’s one catch away from tieing my mark…)

[Eric Austin @eaustin45]

@Bound_wi @TravisBOUND Derek Watt was pretty good…

[Eric Austin @eaustin45]

Please consider donating to support Connor ( and my) football team!

https://t.co/KgQurlNyOJ