Former Georgetown Tennis Coach Pleads Guilty In Admissions Scandal

Former Georgetown Tennis Coach Pleads Guilty In Admissions Scandal

Gordon Ernst was the head coach of the tennis team at Georgetown. He began his coaching career there in 2006, previously being a coach for the University of Pennsylvania and Northwestern.

He was also widely known for helping the Obama family with their tennis abilities. Specifically, he's spoken out about his experience in coaching Michelle Obama.

His abilities were widely known as being impressive and people would seek him out. As a result, he was recognized in the New England Tennis Hall of Fame in 2015.

Gordon Ernst

He left Georgetown in 2018 but that remains the coaching experience that he is best known for.

Regardless of his past, Ernst has recently been under investigation. The scandal started in 2019 when he was arrested for being part of a group that would submit false test scores and documents for aspiring students to allow them to get into higher-level schools.

"Operation Varsity Blues" is the operation that Ernst is being convicted for. He accepted more than $2 million in bribes to accept these kids. This wasn't the first time that he was suspected of something out of the ordinary.

In 2018 when he left Georgetown is was because he was under investigation regaurding the athletes he was recruiting for the team. They seemed to be of lesser athletic ability than would normally be accepted with the team's standards.

However, the incident was allegedly not reported to his next employers and he was able to continue coaching the sport.

Charges have been pushed on him and upwards of 50 others that were involved with the plot. His legal team has been putting together a case for 2 years, the time that Ernst has been fighting the charges.

On Wednesday, it was public knowledge that Ernst had pled guilty in the case. His legal team had fought for him, but with the publicity of his wrongdoings and the evidence it was hard to built a case.

His trial was the first one in the string of trials that will ensue on the other participants. They were sure to set a strong precedent in his punishment. He will see no less than a year in jail and has the potential to spend 4 years behind bars.

He will also be giving up the money that he earned through the scheme. Ernst is not the only one that has pled guilty or plans too. As of now, 47 other participants in the scandal have plead guilty for the crime.

It seems that, from the court and jury's standing on the overwhelming evidence of their issue, pleading guilty would be the most beneficial to avoid a much more serious situation. The parents are also being persecuted, 33 of the 47 are parents of the false recruits.

Some people are already behind bars as well, the longest being a parent, Douglas Hodge. He has served 9 months in jail so far for what he did.

Ernst isn't the first and won't be the last in the ongoing court case to take down the people that ruined the college recruiting process for years. Giving children false hope, favoritism, and denying worthy candidates is all being avenged through the courts.

Are you an Athlete?

Create a free profile to access the largest network specifically designed to connect athletes to opportunities. Get started.

RELATED ARTICLES
College Eligibility Requirements

College Eligibility Requirements

Academic eligibility is the most important aspect of the college recruiting process. If you are not...

ByMathias Torp | Fri Nov 03 2023
Can Canadians play college sports in America? NCAA Eligibility guide for international athletes

Can Canadians play college sports in America? NCAA Eligibility guide for international athletes

Are you a high school volleyball player dreaming of playing college volleyball in the United...

ByOVA Team Ontario | Wed Apr 12 2023
College Sports: What To Expect When You Arrive On Campus

College Sports: What To Expect When You Arrive On Campus

College is an exciting transition to go through for any student, athlete or not. And there is no...

ByJacob Rimmer | Thu Sep 01 2022
NCAA Eligibility Center: Five Things Every High School Athlete Should Know

NCAA Eligibility Center: Five Things Every High School Athlete Should Know

First things first, here's a couple vocabulary lessons The NCAA Clearinghouse is a not-for-profit...

ByScotty Jenkins | Thu Aug 18 2022
Every College Tennis Rule That Is Different Than The Pros

Every College Tennis Rule That Is Different Than The Pros

College tennis is a unique and great experience for both athletes as well as fans. For those high...

ByCoby Seaver | Wed Aug 17 2022
Is It Possible To Play Two Sports In College?

Is It Possible To Play Two Sports In College?

If you are passionate about two sports it can be heart breaking to decide which one to pursue in...

ByLily Ford | Wed Jul 20 2022
Playing the USTA circuit is the best route to college tennis

Playing the USTA circuit is the best route to college tennis

One morning, while prepping carts for a golf tournament, I overheard a statement from a mid-major...

ByDJ Cadden | Mon Feb 28 2022
Name, Image, & Likeness: NCAA Research Grant Program Recipients Named

Name, Image, & Likeness: NCAA Research Grant Program Recipients Named

The age-old saying “it takes one to know one” can be applied pretty accurately to many aspects of...

ByAndrew Pistone | Sun Jan 02 2022
NCAA Announces Division II Implementation Committee

NCAA Announces Division II Implementation Committee

In an effort to become more malleable across all of its bodies, the NCAA has spent considerable...

ByAndrew Pistone | Thu Dec 30 2021
Can College Athletes Be Considered Employees?

Can College Athletes Be Considered Employees?

There’s been a whirlwind of change surrounding the rights of college athletes that has taken place...

ByAndrew Pistone | Mon Nov 29 2021
Checking The Books: How Utah Colleges Are Subsidizing Their Athletic Departments

Checking The Books: How Utah Colleges Are Subsidizing Their Athletic Departments

In September, the Utah office of the State Auditor unveiled its findings related to athletic...

ByAndrew Pistone | Fri Oct 29 2021
NCAA Attempts To Modernize Division-I Basketball Offseason Rules

NCAA Attempts To Modernize Division-I Basketball Offseason Rules

While the NCAA has been a popular punching bag for many pundits, one of the most consistent...

ByAndrew Pistone | Wed Oct 06 2021
Former Georgetown Tennis Coach Pleads Guilty In Admissions Scandal

Former Georgetown Tennis Coach Pleads Guilty In Admissions Scandal

Gordon Ernst was the head coach of the tennis team at Georgetown. He began his coaching career...

ByAlexis Peltzer-Harding | Fri Sep 17 2021
COVID-19's Effects on Fall Sports at the Collegiate Level

COVID-19's Effects on Fall Sports at the Collegiate Level

Since the Pandemic started and many Spring athletes had to miss out on their 2020 season, coaches...

ByAlexis Peltzer-Harding | Tue Sep 14 2021
Could College Athletes Make Money Before NIL?

Could College Athletes Make Money Before NIL?

As a retired collegiate athlete, making money during school and sport seasons would be absolutely...

ByGrace White | Sat Sep 11 2021
Five Reasons Why Division III Sports Are A Great Option

Five Reasons Why Division III Sports Are A Great Option

For many young athletes who dream about playing college sports, they most likely imagine themselves...

ByCoby Seaver | Sat Aug 21 2021
Kaplan Report Reveals Inequalities in Men’s and Women’s NCAA Basketball Tournaments

Kaplan Report Reveals Inequalities in Men’s and Women’s NCAA Basketball Tournaments

We all saw the videos that went viral from the WNBA bubble last season revealing the mediocre and...

ByAria Modirmassihai | Fri Aug 20 2021
What effects can drugs and steroids have on young athletes?

What effects can drugs and steroids have on young athletes?

It is super important to understand this topic and to prevent steroid abuse in sports. Steroid use...

ByGrace White | Wed Aug 18 2021
Academic Progress Rate Points System Updated For Division I Transfers

Academic Progress Rate Points System Updated For Division I Transfers

While the athletic performance of Division I athletes is most commonly under the microscope,...

ByAndrew Pistone | Tue Aug 17 2021
Examining Hartford’s Decision To Leave Division I

Examining Hartford’s Decision To Leave Division I

Even though the University of Hartford announced their decision to leave Division I athletics in...

ByAndrew Pistone | Sun Aug 15 2021
Pandemic Forces Colleges to Cut More Sports Programs

Pandemic Forces Colleges to Cut More Sports Programs

Covid-19 swept through the entire United States and took many precious things with it. Its most...

ByAria Modirmassihai | Fri Aug 13 2021
NCAA Calls for Constitutional Convention to Discuss Potential Overhaul of College Sports.

NCAA Calls for Constitutional Convention to Discuss Potential Overhaul of College Sports.

This past Friday, the NCAA Board of governors announced that they will be holding a Constitutional...

ByAria Modirmassihai | Thu Aug 12 2021
Reviewing the Highlights Of The NCAA’s Fall Sports COVID Guidelines

Reviewing the Highlights Of The NCAA’s Fall Sports COVID Guidelines

While it does seem like there are brighter days ahead for collegiate sports and the prospects for...

ByAndrew Pistone | Wed Aug 11 2021