NCAA disciplines 5 Iowa State staffers for sports gambling

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The NCAA has taken disciplinary action against five current or former Iowa State football support staff members for combining to make more than 6,200 online bets totaling more than $100,000 on professional and college games, including men's and women's basketball games involving the Cyclones.

The five were identified during a state investigation into sports wagering activities in campus athletic facilities from 2021 to 2023. They face no criminal charges.

In a negotiated resolution finalized last week, Jace Heacock, Chase Clark, Michael Dryer, Kyle Highland and Mason Williams acknowledged they knowingly violated NCAA sports wagering bylaws, and all are subject to a one-year show-cause order through April 24, 2026.

Any of the five hired by another school's athletic department during the show-cause period will be required to attend the annual NCAA Regional Rules Seminar at his own expense and serve a two-week suspension.

Iowa State's athletic department declined to comment on the case Friday.

The NCAA classified the violations as Level II for the individuals involved, meaning the breaches could compromise the integrity of the NCAA collegiate model.

Heacock, son of defensive coordinator Jon Heacock, was a football graduate assistant in 2021 and 2022. He was hired back as director of football analytics April 24. His biography on ISU's athletic website did not mention where, or if, he worked in 2023 and 2024. He was found to have placed 787 bets totaling about $55,359.

Clark, former assistant director of football equipment operations, placed 2,305 bets totaling about $18,676, including 46 bets on ISU men's and women's basketball. He now is an assistant equipment manager for the Detroit Lions.

Dryer, former assistant of equipment operations, placed 1,182 bets totaling about $11,536, including 25 bets on ISU men's and women's basketball. He now works in sales for a sporting goods company.

Highland, former football recruiting operations assistant, placed 509 bets totaling about $6,365, including eight bets on ISU men's and women's basketball. He now is Army's assistant director of football operations.

Williams, former associate for athletics equipment operations, placed 1,455 bets totaling about $11,679, including 12 bets on ISU men's and women's basketball. He now is head equipment manager at Valparaiso.

The state Department of Criminal Investigation turned over the names of the five men to Iowa State officials as part of its investigation into underage online sports wagering at colleges in the state. Dozens of athletes at Iowa and Iowa State were caught in the sting and charged with, among other things, underage gambling and identity theft.

Many of the athletes pleaded guilty and paid a fine; charges were dismissed against others. More than three dozen athletes have joined in a lawsuit against the DCI, alleging the agency violated their rights and smeared their reputations.

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