According to a Division I Committee on Infractions agreement, a former Air Force men’s golf coach broke NCAA rules by knowingly participating in unpermissible sports betting, including placing wagers on Air Force’s football program.
The report did not name the former head coach. Golfweek contacted Air Force to confirm that the former head coach of men’s golf was identified.
In violation of NCAA rules, the former coach used his girlfriend’s identification to create an account with an online sports betting program. He knew that NCAA rules prohibited wagering on any sports sponsored by the NCAA. In the span of four months, he placed $9,259 in wagers on 253 occasions, both for professional and college sports. Of the 107 bets, six were placed on Air Force football matches.
The head coach’s behavior violated NCAA ethics and sportsmanship principles because NCAA rules prohibit sports betting. He did not create an environment of compliance because of his involvement and efforts to hide behavior that he knew was illegal.
The parties agreed on Level I-mitigated penalties for the University and Level I aggravated penalties for men’s head golf coach using the ranges outlined by the Division I Membership-approved Infractions Penalty Guidelines. The men’s hockey program was also sanctioned.
The list of penalties includes:
- The school will be given three additional years probation after the existing probationary term resulting from an earlier infraction case. This will extend the probationary period to September 2027.
- A $5,000 fine.
- All recruiting communications for men’s hockey are prohibited for a period of two weeks.
- Five-year order of show-cause for the former head men’s golf coach. The former head coach is prohibited from holding any athletic-related position during the five-year show-cause period. In the first year following the show-cause, the former head golf coach will be suspended from 50% of the regular men’s season.
The members of the Committee on Infractions come from both the NCAA membership as well as the general public. Norman Bay, an attorney who practices in private, Vince Nicastro (deputy commissioner and chief operating office of the Big East) and Dave Roberts (special advisor to Southern California, chief hearing officer and panel member), were the members of the panel that reviewed this case.
