Bishop Gorman fires baseball coach after investigation into program

Bishop Gorman baseball coach Chris Sheff will not return after the conclusion of an investigation into the program, the school said Thursday in a statement to parents obtained by the Review-Journal.

“Earlier this spring, the Administration of Bishop Gorman High School retained a third party to conduct a thorough investigation into allegations concerning its baseball program,” the statement said. “After a full review of the findings, the Administration made the decision not to retain head coach Chris Sheff.”

The school told the Review-Journal on April 10 that Sheff was suspended and the program was being investigated after receiving “some complaints that were concerning regarding our baseball program,” a school spokesperson said at the time.

The school declined to comment further Thursday, offering the same statement it sent to parents.

“As this involves a personnel matter, there will be no further comment,” the statement added. “A search for a new head coach will begin immediately.”

Sheff also declined to comment.

Sheff was in his second season in his second stint as Gorman’s coach. He led the Gaels to a 35-2 record and the Class 5A state title in 2023. In his first stint at Gorman from 2004 to 2010, he went 228-45-2 in seven seasons and won five straight 4A state titles from 2006 to 2010.

This season, Gorman appointed assistant Jeff Malm as the interim coach following Sheff’s suspension. Malm said on April 17 that the team learned of Sheff’s suspension on April 5.

Gorman announced April 24 that it had to forfeit several games for using an ineligible player.

The school said the forfeitures were not related to Sheff’s suspension or the investigation. Gorman missed the playoffs with an 11-19 overall record (3-9 in 5A Desert League), according to MaxPreps, but its league record is 2-10 on the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association’s standings file.

Previous investigation

After Gorman’s 2010 title, Sheff was hired by the College of Southern Nevada as its baseball coach and athletic director.

Shortly into his tenure at CSN, the Review-Journal reported that Sheff was under investigation regarding allegations of inappropriately charging players for workouts and accusations of being verbally abusive toward players and having drugs in the team clubhouse.

Players were charged $125 per month to participate in mandatory workouts, according to multiple sources, the Review-Journal reported at the time.

Sheff was fired after the results of a National Junior College Athletic Association investigation showed players were inappropriately charged for a conditioning program.

As a result of the investigation, CSN was penalized with a loss of 20 scholarships for the 2011 and 2012 seasons for three rules violations the program committed under Sheff.

Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.