NCAA Levies Show Cause Penalties for Iowa State Betting Misconduct
Some Iowa State football staffers have found themselves in hot water with the NCAA, all thanks to their passion for sports betting gone awry. It turns out, these folks have been placing thousands of bets, amounting to over $100,000, on sports events, including their very own university's basketball games. Naturally, this ain't cool with the NCAA, and it's easy to see why.
The NCAA investigation cast a fierce light on the actions of five individuals - Jace Heacock, Chase Clark, Michael Dryer, Kyle Highland, and Mason Williams. They knowingly placed bets on both professional and college sports, with an emphasis on Iowa State's basketball teams. Their sneaky wagers span over two years, from 2021 to 2023, and the NCAA classified these as Level II violations—you know, the ones that can mess with the integrity of college athletics.
As punishment, these gentlemen got hit with a one-year show-cause order, keeping them under the NCAA's watchful gaze until April 2026. If they ever decide to work for an NCAA athletic department during that time, they'll need to spend their own cash on a Regional Rules Seminar and cop a two-week suspension, too.
It seems the sports governance issues aren't the whole story, though. Reports have it that more than 30 individuals are suing Iowa's Department of Criminal Investigation for violating their rights during an investigation. Apparently, they used some geofencing software to track people's betting activity without the proper warrant. It's not clear from these findings if this lawsuit is connected to the Iowa State sports betting case.
Now, for a bit more deets on our five bickering buddies:
- Jace Heacock, son of the Cyclones' defensive coordinator, used to be a graduate assistant and was recently promoted to director of football analytics. He placed a whopping 787 bets, shelling out $55,359 in total, averaging just over $70 per wager.
- Chase Clark, who's currently working with the Detroit Lions, made 2,305 bets worth a cool $18,676. That included a chunk that targeted Iowa State basketball.
- Michael Dryer, now in the world of sporting goods sales, put down 1,182 bets worth $11,536, with 25 of those going to Cyclones hoops.
- Kyle Highland, now with the Army's football operations, was responsible for 509 bets worth $6,365, with eight of those bets focused on Iowa State basketball games.
- Mason Williams, leading the charge at Valparaiso's equipment operations, placed 1,455 bets totaling $11,679, with a dozen of those bets on Iowa State basketball battles.
While this NCAA drama might be wrapped up, there's still that lawsuit looming. It'll be interesting to see how things unfold. Until then, keep your eyes peeled for more updates!
- The NCAA scandal, revolving around sports betting, has been a major topic in general-news and crime-and-justice categories, with five Iowa State football staffers, Jace Heacok, Chase Clark, Michael Dryer, Kyle Highland, and Mason Williams, accused of misusing their positions by placing bets on NCAA basketball games.
- Jace Heacok, a former graduate assistant and current director of football analytics, placed a significant number of bets, with over 700 wagers amounting to $55,359, mainly on Iowa State's basketball games.
- Similarly, Chase Clark, currently working with the Detroit Lions, has been reported to have made 2,305 bets, with a portion targeting Iowa State basketball, totaling $18,676.
- Michael Dryer, now in the sporting goods sales industry, placed 1,182 bets worth $11,536, with 25 of those bets on Iowa State basketball, while Kyle Highland, working in the Army's football operations, made 509 bets worth $6,365, with eight of those bets focused on Iowa State basketball games.
- Lastly, Mason Williams, at Valparaiso's equipment operations, placed 1,455 bets totaling $11,679, with a dozen of those bets on Iowa State basketball matches, adding to the ongoing NCAA sports-betting controversy.
