NCAA rejects Iowa defensive lineman Noah Shannon's appeal of season-long suspension for gambling

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The NCAA has denied Iowa defensive lineman Noah Shannon's appeal of his season-long suspension for his involvement in sports wagering, coach Kirk Ferentz announced Tuesday.

Shannon has not been charged in the state’s criminal investigation of illegal sports wagering by athletes at No. 25 Iowa and Iowa State. The senior from Aurora, Illinois, has started 28 games and came out of spring listed No. 1 at left defensive tackle.

“I am incredibly disappointed by the NCAA’s decision this weekend,” Ferentz said. “Noah is an exceptional person who has been a great leader on and off the field for our program over the last five years. While we will certainly miss him on the field, I am grateful that Noah has chosen to remain a part of our program as he prepares for the next step of his journey.”

Ferentz said last month that Shannon made at least one wager on an event involving a Hawkeyes team in another sport, which is an NCAA violation punishable by a permanent loss of eligibility. Ferentz said then that Shannon had done “nothing criminal” and that the full-season suspension was harsh.

“I want to apologize to the fans and everyone who supports Iowa Football,” Shannon said in a statement. "I made a mistake and I have taken responsibility for it. I am heartbroken that I will not be able to play alongside my brothers again, but I plan to stick with the team and support them any way that I can going forward.

“I want to say thank you to my family, Coach Ferentz, the coaching staff, and all of my teammates and friends for their unwavering support. I am going to make sure that this mistake does not define me or my career going forward.”

The Iowa athletic department announced last month that 11 athletes in multiple sports would have their eligibility impacted as a result of the investigation. The athletic department said it could not identify the athletes without their consent.

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