Former University of Iowa offensive lineman Cody Ince, who was engaged to be married after retiring from football, was found dead at the age of 23 on Saturday at his home in Wisconsin.
Ince’s cause of death was not given, but his obituary He said he died “unexpectedly” at his home in Grantsburg. Ince, who received an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection in 2020, is survived by his fiancée Olivia Tucker, his parents Marty and Tammy, and his sister Carly.
Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz remembered Ince in a statement shared on Iowa football. Twitter page.
“I am incredibly saddened to hear about the sudden passing of Cody Ince,” Ferentz said. “Cody was a tremendous young man, a valued teammate and contributor to our program.
“He loved soccer, fishing and hunting, and he believed in the importance of family and friendships,” she continued. “Cody was starting this next chapter of his life and he was about to get married.”
Injuries caused him to retire last year before he could embark on a potential NFL career, according to the athletic.
“Mary and I are heartbroken for his fiancée, his family and all of his friends who knew and loved him,” Ferentz said. “All of us in the soccer program, his coaches and teammates, are mourning the loss of him.”
Ince’s former Iowa teammate, wide receiver Tyrone Tracy Jr., remembered his friend in a comment on Ince’s obituary page.
“I had the honor of meeting and playing with Cody while at the University of Iowa,” he wrote. “He! Not only was he a great teammate, but an amazing person! Always smiling and telling jokes, but he took his work in the field personally and I loved that about him.
“He would always bring venison jerky or sunflower seeds and make sure I had a little each time. It’s the little things that I will remember! Thank you Cody for being such an amazing person and friend!”
