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Former Abilene Christian men’s basketball player Airion Simmons has been ruled permanently ineligible by the NCAA after investigators determined he conspired with outside bettors to manipulate the outcome of a game.
The Division I Committee on Infractions released its decision, stating Simmons violated core honesty and sportsmanship rules when he agreed to provide information and alter his performance during a March 2024 matchup against Tarleton State.
The case began when another former teammate disclosed the scheme after transferring to a Division II school in 2025, triggering a wider investigation. Simmons admitted to enforcement staff that he accepted $3,500 to “play bad” in the game, later meeting a contact in Dallas to collect cash.
He declined to take part in the resolution process, but the violations were classified as Level I, the most serious category.
Details of the game-fixing scheme
The investigation revealed that Simmons and two teammates discussed losing intentionally while playing video games, later joining a FaceTime call with a known bettor who pressured them to throw the Tarleton State contest.
Simmons told investigators he was already dealing with a hand injury and shared that another teammate would miss the game. Despite limited minutes, he accepted money to underperform. According to the NCAA, Simmons kept the entire payment and did not share it with the teammates involved.
In January 2026, federal prosecutors indicted Simmons and two bettors on charges including bribery in sports wagering contests, wire fraud, and conspiracy.
Simmons barred from all NCAA competitions
Violations tied to game manipulation for betting purposes automatically result in permanent loss of eligibility. Although Simmons is no longer part of Abilene Christian’s program, the ruling bars him from returning to NCAA competition.
The Committee on Infractions emphasized that while schools face penalties for staff misconduct, athletes found guilty of betting violations face direct consequences through ineligibility.
The panel reviewing the case included Rich Ensor, Jason Leonard, and Amy Parsons, who approved the negotiated resolution. Simmons’ refusal to participate in the process was treated as acceptance of the findings.
A year of bans for the NCAA
Simmons’ ban comes barely weeks after the NCAA handed down permanent ineligibility rulings to three other basketball players caught in gambling investigations. Elijah Grey and Will Richardson, both former Fordham athletes, were declared permanently barred following a federal probe into betting violations.
Simeon Cottle, who once played at Kennesaw State, was also ruled ineligible under a separate agreement.
At the same time, Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby is currently under investigation after records showed he placed more than 10,000 wagers since 2022, including a bet on an Indiana game while redshirting.
Sorsby recently entered a gambling addiction treatment program, but depending on the findings, he could join the growing list of players permanently banned from NCAA competition.
