Former Iowa football offensive lineman Cody Ince was found dead on Saturday. He was 23.
The former Hawkeye was found dead in his home in Grantsburg, Wisconsin. No cause of death has been announced, though his obituary notes that the death was unexpected.
He is survived by his fiancée Olivia Tucker, parents Tammy and Marty and sister Carly.
“I am incredibly sad to hear about Cody Ince’s sudden passing,” Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said in a statement obtained by USA Today. “Cody was a tremendous young man, valued teammate and contributor to our program.”
Ferentz went on to describe Ince’s other pursuits along with collegiate football: “He loved football, fishing and hunting, and believed in the importance of family and friendships. Cody was just beginning this next chapter of his life and was about to be married.”
“Mary and I are heartbroken for his fiancée, his family and all his friends who knew and loved him. All of us in the football program — his coaches and teammates — are mourning his loss,” Ferentz closed.
Ince was the defensive lineman for the Iowa Hawkeyes from 2018 to 2021. During his tenure, he appeared in 29 games, starting 10. Ince had hoped to make it to the NFL, but injuries forced him to end his football career earlier than planned.
While playing for Iowa, Ince was even commended by the Big 10. In the 2020 Individual Awards, Ince was listed as an Honorable Mention, high praise in the world of college football.
“I have had the honor of knowing and playing with Cody while I was at the University of Iowa,” Purdue receiver Tyrone Tracy Jr. wrote on Ince’s memorial page Tuesday morning. “He was not only a great teammate but an amazing person! Always smiling and cracking jokes but he took his job on the field personally and I loved that about him. He used to always bring in deer jerky or sunflower seeds and he made sure I got every time.”
“It’s the little things that I will remember!” Tracy closed. “Thank you, Cody, for being such an amazing person and friend!”
Forever loyal to the University of Iowa, the family has asked that any donations go to the university’s Children’s Hospital in Cody’s name.
