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NCAA upholds Noah Shannon's suspension under new eligibility guidelines

Shannon was originally suspended in August after acknowledging his involvement in sports wagering, although he was not charged in the state's criminal investigation.

IOWA CITY, Iowa — It's a hard night for Iowa fans, as Noah Shannon will not return to play for the Hawkeyes this season due to modified reinstatement guidelines. 

The Division I Council Coordination Committee released new guidelines Wednesday requiring student-athletes who wager on teams at their school⁠—excluding their own team⁠—to sit out for one season and lose one year of eligibility. 

"To be clear, Division I members do not encourage student-athletes to engage in sports wagering at any level, and the actions today to modify reinstatement conditions should not be interpreted as support for wagering behaviors," said Jon Steinbrecher, chair of the Council Coordination Committee.

Shannon was originally suspended in August after acknowledging his involvement in sports wagering, although he was not charged in the state's criminal investigation. The senior from Aurora, Illinois, has started 28 games and came out of spring listed No. 1 at left defensive tackle.

Head Coach Kirk Ferentz, a vocal defender of Shannon, said the player made at least one wager on an event involving an Iowa team in another sport. The University of Iowa appealed the suspension, which was rejected by the NCAA in September. 

Under the new guidelines, Shannon's career at Iowa is effectively over. Originally, Shannon was meant to return for a sixth season with the Hawkeyes; a plan made impossible given the loss of eligibility. 

In a statement Wednesday, Ferentz said in part, “Noah did not break any laws. He did not commit any crimes. And yet he is being severely over-punished by a membership committee that refuses to see perspective or use common sense. I have said many times that I think it is peculiar that the state of Iowa is uniquely the focus of this investigation. Noah is being sidelined because the NCAA is ruling on an investigation that they did not instigate, using an uneven system of justice to severely punish an excellent young man. It is just wrong.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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