UC baseball player’s father at center of gambling probes

CINCINNATI — An Indiana man whose son is a member of the University of Cincinnati baseball group is the bettor at the center of separate investigations that led to firings of Alabama coach Brad Bohannon and two members of Bearcats baseball employees this month, two folks familiar with the inquiries told The Connected Press on Friday.

The folks who identified Bert Neff of Mooresville, Indiana, as becoming connected to each the Alabama and Cincinnati instances spoke on situation of anonymity for the reason that neither was authorized to speak about ongoing investigations.

A quantity listed as Neff’s cell telephone was not accepting calls Friday.

No facts have been disclosed by Alabama on why Bohannon was let go right after 5 years on the job. Nevertheless, the firing came 3 days right after a report warning of suspicious wagers on an LSU-Alabama baseball game prompted Ohio’s best gambling regulator to bar licensed sportsbooks in the state from accepting bets on the Tide’s games. Pennsylvania and New Jersey followed suit.

Associated | Alabama baseball coach fired right after suspicious betting at Wonderful American Ball Park

ESPN reported later that surveillance video from the sportsbook positioned at the Cincinnati Reds’ Wonderful American Ballpark indicated the individual who placed the bets was communicating with Bohannon at the time. ESPN cited numerous anonymous sources with direct data about the investigation.

1 of the folks familiar with the investigations told the AP on Friday that Neff was the individual who placed these bets.

Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne has because stated the university had received no proof that any players have been involved in the circumstance. A text message to Byrne from the AP on Friday was not instantly returned.

Alabama is competing in the Southeastern Conference baseball tournament this week and is positioned to attain the NCAA Tournament.

Earlier this week, Cincinnati announced assistant coach Kyle Sprague and director of operations Andy Nagel have been relieved of their duties Might 17, about a week right after the college opened an investigation into probable NCAA violations.

The college did not present facts of what was becoming investigated and stated it would not comment additional. Voice and text messages to Cincinnati athletic director John Cunningham have been not instantly returned.

Associated | UC assistant baseball coach, director of operations fired right after internal overview findings

But one particular of the folks familiar with the circumstance told AP that speak to with Neff was what led to the firings. It is not identified if Neff was wagering on Cincinnati baseball games.

A third individual familiar with the Cincinnati investigation told AP there was been no indication games have been becoming fixed or that Sprague or Nagel have been betting on games.

Neff’s son, Andrew, is listed as a pitcher on Cincinnati’s roster, but has not played this season. The Bearcats season ended earlier this week when they have been eliminated from the American Athletic Conference Tournament.

1 of the folks familiar with the circumstance stated Bert Neff has been a youth coach in Indiana with connections to college coaches by means of recruiting.

Sports Illustrated was initial to report Neff’s involvement with each the Alabama and Cincinnati baseball firings.

The Cincinnati case is the newest gambling-connected scandal in college sports this month.

Significantly less than a week right after Bohannon was fired, the University of Iowa stated 26 of its athletes across 5 sports have been suspected of wagering on sports in violation of NCAA guidelines. Its cross-state rival, Iowa State, acknowledged that some 15 of its athletes across 3 sports also are suspected of violating gambling guidelines.

NCAA guidelines prohibit athletes, coaches and employees from betting on amateur, collegiate and experienced sports in which the NCAA conducts a championship. The guidelines are beneath scrutiny as legalized gambling spreads across the nation, and the NCAA this week stated it was organizing an athletes-only survey on the subject.