Update: Noah Shannon CLEARED TO PRACTICE. 26 UI student-athletes investigated for online gambling, incl in FB, Men’s BB, Baseball, T&F & Wrestling

[Franisdaman]

From the Iowa Office of Strategic Communication:


Sports Wagering Investigation


May 8, 2023

The University of Iowa and the Department of Athletics are aware of the sports wagering investigation and are fully cooperating. We have alerted the NCAA of the potential violations and we have hired outside counsel to assist in the investigative process.

The athletics department provides education on NCAA rules regarding the the prohibition of sports wagering as well as the potential consequences.

Additional Information

• The university has received information about 111 individuals.
  • This includes 26 current student-athletes from baseball, football, men’s basketball, men’s track and field, and men's wrestling, as well as one full-time employee of the UI Department of Athletics.
  • The vast majority of the individuals are student-staff, former student-athletes, or those with no connection to UI Athletics.
  • The list does not include any current or former coaches.

Timeline

May 2: University of Iowa leadership was notified of potential criminal conduct related to sports wagering that also suggested possible NCAA violations.

May 3: Law enforcement notified the university that additional information would be provided the following day.

May 4: The university received a list of individuals alleged to have participated in sports wagering.

May 5: The University of Iowa took the following action:

• notified several student-athletes that they would not be participating in upcoming competitions;
• alerted the NCAA to potential violations; and
• engaged outside legal counsel to advise the university and potentially lead an investigation.

May 8: The following message was sent to Department of Athletics staff and student-athletes.

Athletics Staff –

Last week the university and athletics department were made aware of potential NCAA violation related to sports wagering. The following statements from the State of Iowa Board of Regents and University of Iowa will be shared publicly shortly. We will follow-up with additional information as available.

Board of Regent Statement

The Board of Regents is aware of concerns related to online gambling involving individuals associated with the University of Iowa and Iowa State University. The Board of Regents and the universities will fully cooperate with any investigations related to these concerns. We are closely monitoring the situation and have confidence that University administrators at each institution will take all necessary steps to ensure ongoing compliance.

University of Iowa Statement

The University of Iowa and the Department of Athletics are aware of the sports wagering investigation and are fully cooperating. We have alerted the NCAA of the potential violations and we have hired outside counsel to assist in the investigative process.

The athletics department provides education on NCAA rules regarding the the prohibition of sports wagering as well as the potential consequences.


LINK:

Sports wagering investigation | Office of Strategic Communication

May 8, 2023 The University of Iowa and the Department of Athletics are aware of the sports wagering investigation and are fully cooperating. We have alerted the NCAA of the potential violations and we have hired outside counsel to assist in the investigative process. The athletics department...

osc.uiowa.edu

Direct link to the story on the Iowa Baseball team:

Iowa Gambling Authorities Launch Investigation Against Hawkeyes Baseball After Player Suspensions

Read about how Iowa gambling authorities have launched an investigation after Hawkeyes baseball players were suspended over the weekend.

www.actionnetwork.com

Related tweet:

 

[BigOHawk]

You knew it was coming...ugh...

 

[Franisdaman]

You knew it was coming...ugh...

Well, at least it's just one program that's being investigated (and not football)....we hope.

4 Iowa baseball players were not present during the Ohio State series this past weekend:

Keaton Anthony
Jacob Henderson
Ben Tallman
Gehrig Christensen

 

[LetsGoHawks83]

WTF. I don't follow baseball very closely, but they're playing well, correct? They knocked off LSU early in the year, so is there a hint of throwing games?

Is it that these guys were simply gambling on other sports or is there smoke that this is the cardinal sin of gambling on your own games?

 

[HawkeyeGenius]

WTF. I don't follow baseball very closely, but they're playing well, correct? They knocked off LSU early in the year, so is there a hint of throwing games?

Is it that these guys were simply gambling on other sports or is there smoke that this is the cardinal sin of gambling on your own games?

IF and I emphasize IF the early rumors some have tossed out are true. They weren't betting on baseball. We'll have to see where this goes though.

 

[sober_teacher]

WTF. I don't follow baseball very closely, but they're playing well, correct? They knocked off LSU early in the year, so is there a hint of throwing games?

Is it that these guys were simply gambling on other sports or is there smoke that this is the cardinal sin of gambling on your own games?

I’m guess it’s at least partly due to the fallout from the Alabama situation.

I haven’t heard any other rumors like what @HawkeyeGenius mentioned.

 

[HawkeyeGenius]

 

[LetsGoHawks83]

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Hopefully this remains the case..... That Guys were "just" gambling on other sports.

I think it's silly to have a rule that players can't gamble on ANY sports, but that's the WELL KNOWN rule they have to follow.

Once again.... Sports Gambling has exploded, guarantee that this will continue to happen. Hopefully betting on your own sport/games is snuffed out quickly though.

 

[HawkeyeGenius]

Hopefully this remains the case..... That Guys were "just" gambling on other sports.

I think it's silly to have a rule that players can't gamble on ANY sports, but that's the WELL KNOWN rule they have to follow.

Once again.... Sports Gambling has exploded, guarantee that this will continue to happen. Hopefully betting on your own sport/games is snuffed out quickly though.

It has, and there was an article last year that the NCAA rules still reflect the old ways. If they were betting on any Iowa sports though they're done even though I agree to an extent that it's not as big of a deal if it wasn't their sport and specific team. It's still against the rules.

 

[Franisdaman]

IF and I emphasize IF the early rumors some have tossed out are true. They weren't betting on baseball. We'll have to see where this goes though.

Unfortunately, it looks like the 4 players' season is over. Hope I am wrong because Keaton Anthony is the star player on this team.

 

[NevadaHawk]

Man, we just can't have nice things at the University of Iowa.

 

[cmhawks99]

I’m guess it’s at least partly due to the fallout from the Alabama situation.

I haven’t heard any other rumors like what @HawkeyeGenius mentioned.

Good point this has the capability of sweeping into the whole totality of NCAA baseball… And it is a stain on the University of Iowa and all sports!

 

[sober_teacher]

It has, and there was an article last year that the NCAA rules still reflect the old ways. If they were betting on any Iowa sports though they're done even though I agree to an extent that it's not as big of a deal if it wasn't their sport and specific team. It's still against the rules.

Yeah I don’t object to them gambling on other sports. Gambling on theirs is a hard ceiling for me tho.

 

[Franisdaman]

Man, we just can't have nice things at the University of Iowa.

Last Wednesday we were a projected 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

 

[Franisdaman]

I’m guess it’s at least partly due to the fallout from the Alabama situation.

I haven’t heard any other rumors like what @HawkeyeGenius mentioned.

No mention of Arland Bruce or Iowa football in the article. Weird. LOL

So far just 4 Iowa baseball players have been withheld from competition and only 2 play regularly.

From the article in the orig post:

Keaton Anthony and relief pitcher Jacob Henderson stood out as ones who regularly play.

* Anthony leads the team in on base percentage, batting average, slugging percentage and OPS.

* Henderson last pitched on Tuesday May 2 vs. Illinois State.

 

[McLovin32]

 

[AuroraHawk]

WTF. I don't follow baseball very closely, but they're playing well, correct? They knocked off LSU early in the year, so is there a hint of throwing games?

Is it that these guys were simply gambling on other sports or is there smoke that this is the cardinal sin of gambling on your own games?

No. No. No and no.
Zero evidence that there was anything other than on-line betting on sporting events. Hell, that's not illegal. It may cost them NCAA eligibility (to various degrees based upon the offense) but it isn't "illegal."

 

[AuroraHawk]

Good point this has the capability of sweeping into the whole totality of NCAA baseball… And it is a stain on the University of Iowa and all sports!

Serious question here . . . if the NCAA were to seize the mobile phones of every single NCAA athlete, how many of those phones would contain evidence of placing an on-line bet on some sort of sporting event? 5%? 10%? 20%? 25%?

An anonymous study from 2016 suggested that 25% of male NCAA athletes had placed some sort of wager on a sporting event that would be violative of NCAA rules. If you can get 25% of anonymous respondents to admit to such conduct, what do you think that the "real" number is?

One need only see that now ISU has identified that it is cooperating with the NCAA with respect to 15 athletes - football, wrestling and track & field.

 

[Steamboat529529]

No. No. No and no.
Zero evidence that there was anything other than on-line betting on sporting events. Hell, that's not illegal. It may cost them NCAA eligibility (to various degrees based upon the offense) but it isn't "illegal."

Some football player at like Virginia Tech was originally suspended nine games when he self-reported that he bet on the NBA Finals. That’s insane.

 

[HawkRugged17]

 

[cmhawks99]

Serious question here . . . if the NCAA were to seize the mobile phones of every single NCAA athlete, how many of those phones would contain evidence of placing an on-line bet on some sort of sporting event? 5%? 10%? 20%? 25%?

An anonymous study from 2016 suggested that 25% of male NCAA athletes had placed some sort of wager on a sporting event that would be violative of NCAA rules. If you can get 25% of anonymous respondents to admit to such conduct, what do you think that the "real" number is?

One need only see that now ISU has identified that it is cooperating with the NCAA with respect to 15 athletes - football, wrestling and track & field.

Probably some privacy issues there just willy-nilly demanding to have the cell phones of all college athletes but I do think your point has merit!

 

[AuroraHawk]

Probably some privacy issues there just willy-nilly demeaning to have their cell phones of all college athletes but I do think your point has merit!

I was certainly not suggesting that the NCAA should (or could) seize phones. Merely trying to illustrate a point. I'm thinking that athletes betting on sporting events is more wide spread than people might estimate.

 

[Steamboat529529]

I was certainly not suggesting that the NCAA should (or could) seize phones. Merely trying to illustrate a point. I'm thinking that athletes betting on sporting events is more wide spread than people might estimate.

Higher than 25% of male ncaa athletes.

 

[Franisdaman]

Some football player at like Virginia Tech was originally suspended nine games when he self-reported that he bet on the NBA Finals. That’s insane.

9 games for a football player, where the regular season is 12 games, is a ridiculous punishment

 

[ItsAllBallBearingsNowadays]

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I’m just hoping our football players steered clear of this. This is why you follow all of the rules including NIL. You never know when they’re going to cherry pick which issues to enforce.

 

[AuroraHawk]

9 games for a football player, where the regular season is 12 games, is a ridiculous punishment

NCAA By-Law 10.2.3(b) provides for a suspension for an entire year - beginning on the date that the suspension starts. An athlete can petition for a lesser penalty and will be addressed on a case-by-case basis. The Va. Tech defensive player ultimately had his suspension reduced to 6 games.

4 Richmond Spiders baseball players had to sit out 30 games at the beginning of 2017 for on-line betting. 1 player on that team had to sit out the entire season.

 

[cmhawks99]

I’m just hoping our football players steered clear of this. This is why you follow all of the rules including NIL. You never know when they’re going to cherry pick which issues to enforce.

And although you didn’t say this, I know you meant it, the further down the line of importance you are the more likely you’re gonna get punched in the mouth!

 

[AuroraHawk]

And now, according to Chad Leistikow, there are 26 athletes from UI (baseball, football, men's basketball, men's track and field and wrestling) being investigated.

 

[AuroraHawk]

I’m just hoping our football players steered clear of this. This is why you follow all of the rules including NIL. You never know when they’re going to cherry pick which issues to enforce.

UI just released a statement that implicates at least one Iowa FB player (unnamed).

 

[Steamboat529529]

Let’s just call it like it is. This is going on absolutely everywhere. If every school went around looking at their athletes for this stuff, they’d absolutely find it.

 

[Frosty7130]

UI just released a statement that implicates at least one Iowa FB player (unnamed).

We know 4 are baseball players, which leaves the remaining 22 belonging to Football, MBB, Men's T/F, and Wrestling.

 

[Franisdaman]

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its amazing how people attempt to get around rules thinking there is no way they'll get caught

 

[anon_b29nm7v7dwp6r]

This has the potential to be a disaster….

 

[rfgiowa]

Barta and company will be busy for the foreseeable future.

 

[AuroraHawk]

We know 4 are baseball players, which leaves the remaining 22 belonging to Football, MBB, Men's T/F, and Wrestling.

Leistikow also just clarified that, according to his source, the UI citing "Men's Basketball" was surprising because "no current players were implicated." If a former player was implicated, that would narrow it down to Ugundele, Rebraca, C. McCaffrey and/or Ulis as the only potential candidates, right?

 

[Steamboat529529]

The release talks about potential criminal activity. The only thing that comes to mind, is that a lot of athletes aren’t 21.

 

[Iafootballfan]

Thank God for Caitlyn Clark - otherwise PR surrounding Iowa Athletics has been extremely rough for the past couple years.

 

[Frosty7130]

Leistikow also just clarified that, according to his source, the UI citing "Men's Basketball" was surprising because "no current players were implicated." If a former player was implicated, that would narrow it down to Ugundele, Rebraca, C. McCaffrey and/or Ulis as the only potential candidates, right?

Depends on how far back the investigation reaches. Considering one of the prevailing rumors was that people bet on the '21 Iowa/PSU game, could be anyone from the 21-22 roster that's no longer here as well.

My money is on Bohannon.







Wait, shit...

 

[Frosty7130]

Thank God for Caitlyn Clark - otherwise PR surrounding Iowa Athletics has been extremely rough for the past couple years.

Eh, you're likely gonna see this across the country.

Who knew that massively advertising and even partnering with sports-betting would lead to this. /s

 

[AuroraHawk]

Press release by UI indicates that, on May 2, it received information of potential criminal conduct relating to sports wagering and potential NCAA violations. 26 individuals are implicated.

Same day, ISU issues a statement indicating it is aware that 15 individuals are implicated for activities relating to sports wagering.

Doesn't this beg the question . . . what happened? From where did UI and ISU get this information? Is it only ISU and UI's athletes or are other universities' athletes implicated as well? The who, what, when, where and why this came to light is going to be fascinating.