Iowa men’s wrestler Nelson Brands’ collegiate career is over.

The 174-pounder and several of his teammates were suspended in May by the NCAA for sports gambling. The All-American appealed his suspension, and he announced on Tuesday night via social media the appeal was denied by the NCAA.

“I am extremely devastated that my career will have to end on this note. I feel I have so much more to give to wrestling,” Brands posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. “I am hoping that I will eventually come to peace with the ending of my collegiate career, but I guess the hard pill to swallow would be accepting that I broke a rule, and I now have to deal with the consequences.”

Appeal denied. Thanks @iowahawkeyewrestling for the many memories made while competing at the collegiate level. And the life lessons learned from competing at such a high level.

— Nelson Brands (@nelson_brands) December 20, 2023

The NCAA Division I Council Coordination Committee met on Nov. 8 and adjusted current student-athlete reinstatement guidelines for those who bet on other teams at their own schools.

“Student-athletes who wager on teams at their school — excluding their own team — will start at requiring one season of ineligibility and a loss of one year of eligibility,” according to the adjusted NCAA guidelines.

This means an athlete must sit out one season, and that season counts against their eligibility. Brands is in his sixth and final year, so he does not have any eligibility remaining.

Previously, a student-athlete who bet on an athletics team at their own school would receive a permanent loss of eligibility.

Iowa head coach Tom Brands, the uncle of Nelson Brands, has voiced his displeasure with the NCAA and Department of Justice over the last few months.

“The leadership of the NCAA is on record saying there is a nationwide campus epidemic of sports wagering,” Tom Brands said during his media availability previewing the dual against Oregon State. “No one is asking the question why the Department of Justice and the state of Iowa were targeting Iowa State University and the University of Iowa. No one is asking that question.”

Nelson Brands is one of five confirmed wrestlers who was suspended in the gambling probe along with Cullan Schriever, Tony Cassioppi, Abe Assad, and Cobe Siebrecht.

Schriever served a multi-match suspension and returned to the mat on Dec. 9 against Columbia.

“He’s been through hell,” Tom Brands said following Schriever’s season debut victory. “This gambling bullshit is bullshit. He’s been through hell, he wanted the match, and he made the most of it.”

Tom Brands revealed that heavyweight Tony Cassioopi also appealed his suspension and is awaiting the NCAA’s decision.

“These guys didn’t lie, they didn’t cheat, they didn’t do anything illegal,” Tom Brands said. “A 21-year-old can gamble. A 21-year-old is a junior in college. A one-year ban is a death sentence most of the time.”