The corruption inherent in big-time college athletics (meaning Division I basketball and football) hit a big-time Catholic university today. The Society of Sacred Heart-founded school has nearly 8,000 students.
From AP: “A former University of San Diego star basketball player, along with another former player and former assistant coach, were charged with running a sports betting business to affect the outcome of games, federal authorities said Monday.
The indictment names Brandon Johnson, the school’s all-time leading scorer who finished his college career last year, Thaddeus Brown, an assistant coach at the school in the 2006-07 season, and Brandon Dowdy, who played at USD in the 2006-07 season and at the University of California, Riverside, from 2008 to 2010. Seven other people were also charged.”
University president Mary Lyons responded: “These are very serious allegations and the university is fully cooperating with the investigation. Shortly after learning about the probe, USD representatives contacted the NCAA to inform them about the situation.”
She continued, “As a values-based institution, USD is committed to the principles of integrity, fairness and equity. While the investigation continues, we will do everything we can to support our campus community allowing our students and faculty to focus their attention on a successful end of another academic year.”
