University of Georgia police confirmed Tuesday morning they are actively investigating a case in which prescription drugs are alleged to have been stolen and/or mishandled by persons associated with Georgia’s nationally-renown tennis programs.
No names were included in a preliminary incident report, which was released to DawgNation.com in response to an open records request for information about the recent suspensions of two assistant tennis coaches. Bo Hodge, associate head coach of the men's tennis team, and Drake Bernstein, associate head coach for the women's team, are each under suspension while their respective teams compete in the NCAA tennis tournament.
Both teams won their first two rounds of matches this past weekend and advanced to the NCAA Championships, which will be hosted by UGA at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex and conducted over a 10-day period starting Thursday.
The report released Tuesday provided few details beyond the nature of the investigation and when it started.
“On May 5 at approximately 1700 hours the UGA Police Department received a complaint related to the possible theft and mishandling of prescription involving a number of individuals within the tennis program,” police said in the incident report released Tuesday.
Diaz, the men’s tennis coach, is listed as the reporting party and the UGA Athletic Association is listed as the victim. The alleged crimes are listed as “theft by taking” of no more than $1,500 and possession of a schedule I and/or schedule II substance.”
Georgia’s No. 12-ranked men’s team (20-7) faces No. 4 seeded Southern Cal (27-5) on Thursday at 4 p.m. in the NCAA quarterfinals. The fifth-ranked women (19-5) play 12th-seeded Pepperdine on Friday at 4 p.m.
