Iowa defensive lineman Noah Shannon will not attend Big Ten media days next week because of his involvement in the NCAA investigation into sports gambling at the school.
Senior linebacker Jay Higgins will represent Iowa in Shannon's place, alongside defensive back Cooper DeJean, tight end Luke Lachey and coach Kirk Ferentz. Shannon, a senior from Aurora, Illinois, earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors in each of the past two seasons.
Iowa announced in May that 26 athletes across five sports, including football, are suspected of wagering on sports, in violation of NCAA rules. The university said it became aware May 2 of "potential criminal conduct related to sports wagering that also suggested possible NCAA violations," and received a list on May 4 of individuals allegedly involved in the activities. The investigation launched by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Special Enforcement Operations Bureau, also included athletes from Iowa State.
"Being selected to represent the Iowa Hawkeye football team at Big Ten Media Day is a tremendous honor and privilege," Shannon said in a statement. "I am grateful for the opportunity. However, given the circumstances I told Coach Ferentz it would be best for him to select another player. Since the NCAA review is not yet complete, I don't feel it is right for me to represent the team."
Ferentz in a statement praised Shannon for being willing to reveal why he isn't attending media days and for suggesting a teammate takes his place.
"Noah is a committed and dedicated teammate, and this is a fine example of him always wanting to put the team first," Ferentz said.
