Iowa interim AD Beth Goetz provides update on gambling investigation, possible suspensions

As Iowa finds itself in the midst of a statewide gambling investigation, the athletics department is going through a changing of the guard. Gary Barta retired as athletics director over the summer and Beth Goetz is took overas interim AD Aug. 1 after serving as deputy AD and Chief Operating Officer for the last 11 months.

The timing of the transition is interesting considering the investigation, which has seen multiple current and former Hawkeyes named in various lawsuits on records tampering allegations. Thursday — just over a week away from Week 0 — Goetz addressed the status of the investigation during her introductory press conference.

The process is still ongoing, but she indicated a decision could be coming soon.

“On the reinstatement process specifically, we have submitted all the requested information to date to the NCAA and we’re optimistic that we are just hopefully days away perhaps from getting some feedback at least initially on what that means for our student-athletes who currently are here and have remaining eligibility,” Goetz said. “There’s obviously some additional steps in the process once that decision is rendered, but we’re optimistic that that might happen here in short order as opposed to a few weeks down the road.”

More on the Iowa sports betting investigation, current and former players named in lawsuits

The investigation started in May when the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission launched an investigation into Iowa Athletics that alleged 26 athletes across multiple teams — football, men’s basketball, baseball, men’s track and field, and wrestling — violated NCAA rules. A full-time Iowa athletics employee was also implicated. It began shortly after multiple Hawkeyes baseball players were suspended for the series against Ohio State, sparking an investigation into the program.

Iowa State has also been involved in the inquiry, and four players — including starting running back Jirehl Brock — were charged with records tampering last week. That news came out shortly after multiple members of the 2022 Iowa football team were hit with charges of tampering with records.

Two of those players — Reggie Bracy and Arland Bruce IV — are no longer with the program. Bracy transferred to Troy and Bruce headed to Oklahoma State over the offseason. Wide receiver Jack Johnson is still with the Hawkeyes, though, and was the third player to face charges. Iowa graduate assistant Owen O’Brien was also charged.

Tampering with records is classified as an aggravated misdemeanor, according to CBS2Iowa. NCAA rules state athletes who have “cumulative wagering activities that greatly exceed $800” could be looking at a loss of eligibility. Those rules were announced June 28 retroactive to May 2.