OCR Text |
Show OREM TIMES Thursday, February 28. 2008 UVSC guard Toolson's record numbers ignored by NCAA Neil K. Warner According to the NCAA. Utah Valley Sate guard Ryan Toolson does not exist. Don't bother trying to find his statistics among the Division Divi-sion I leaders because Tool-son Tool-son is not a real person. He has been whited out from the record book- He Is in the witness wit-ness protection program. But the athletic department at UVSC would beg to differ. Toolson does exist. So do the numbers he's putting up. With just one game left in the season and with March Madness just a few weeks away, perhaps now would be the best time to point out that Toolson is currently averaging 23.7 points per game, which is seventh in the nation. How do I know this? Fortunately for Toolson, there are media outlets who dont discriminate against schools in Division 1 provisional provi-sional transitional periods. CBS Sportsline includes Toolson's numbers with the rest of the NCAA basketball basket-ball players. The Web sites that do include Utah Valley State's statistics have Tool-son Tool-son No. 1 in the nation in free throw percentage with 50 or more attempts. He leads Louis Dale of Cornell, who is second at 94.4 percent, having hav-ing made 83-of-SO. "Coach (Dick Hunsaker) told me last year that my free throw record wouldn't be recognized by the NCAA. It's upsetting, but my mom prints out a Est of the No. 1 free throw shooters in NCAA where I'm No.l," Toolson said. "I think it's unfair. We play Division I teams who are sanctioned, but our numbers num-bers don't count." Since the school is in year five of its six-year provisional provi-sional period, the Wolverines are ineligible for post -season play, and if that wasn't tough enough, any records that a player may set during that time do not exist either. But despite the NCAA's gag-order on players like Toolson, the word has gotten out. If you ask the all-knowing Google, who led the nation in free throw percentage in 2W7 WikiAnswers has the answer. Ryan Toolson of Utah Valley Val-ley led the nation in 2QW-07 with a .970 percent (96 out of 99). Blake Ahearn of Missouri Mis-souri State ended his four year career as the all-time NCAA division one free- throw leader with a career average of .952 percent, Toolson's 97 percent shooting shoot-ing was the second highest single-season free throw shooting mark in Division I history. Opposing players, coaches and NBA scouts know all about Toolson, but that doesn't change the fact that when Toolson's career is over he could very well hold the record for career free throw shooting percentage, but his name wul not appear. When asked about his thoughts on the subject, Hunsaker said, "That's not in my control. That's simply all in black and white. I don't make the rules, I'm not part of that process." UVSC Athletic Director Mike Jacobsen also knows there is likely nothing that can be done, but that won't stop him from trying to get the NCAA to include UVSC. Jacobsen is hoping when the NCAA comes back with the official green light to proceed pro-ceed to full Division I status (that could happen by the end of March) that he can request that the stats count next year for Toolson's senior year. "1 have no power to change that, aQ I can do is request," Jacobsen said. "I think it's a shame, 1 really do. We've been required to meet every NCAA standard and we've done that. We have two young people (Toolson and women's basketball player Robyn Fairbanks) that ought to be able to be recognized recog-nized for what they've done on the court and what they've been able to accomplish. When other teams play us their stats count against us. We were told up front that this was how it would be so it's not new to us." If there's any solace in this injustice it is that Toolson is not alone. Fairbanks, a junior center for the women's basketball bas-ketball team, has done for the UV women's program that Toolson has done for the men's program. She averaged 23.7 points per game last year and this season she set the Cameron Indoor Stadium record for rebounds when UVSC played at Duke. She is currently fourth in the nation in scoring with 24.0 points per game and ranks 16th nationally in field goal percentage (57 J) and 16th in rebounding (10.0). But like Toolson she is invisible. in-visible. It's not like those who follow fol-low college basketball don't know who Toolson and Fairbanks are because then-stats then-stats aren't listed. They have become weD known in Division Divi-sion I basketball circles, but if the NCAA is worried that provisional teams who fail the NCAA test wul still have their numbers in the record books, then remove them when they fail Blot out their numbers from the record book if they dont meet the requirements, but to exclude them now and next year is a slap in the face of a program that has already had to jump through enough hoops. V MASK JOHNSTONNortfi County UVSC Ryan Toolson (10) shoots over San Francisco's Dior Low horn on Dec. 31, 2007. Despite the fact that Toolson is in the top 10 in several NCAA categories, he is not recognized by the NCAA because UVSC is considered a provisional program. J CsK fmA fWfTa f"f I Ilv J&tmrfeV Bfmmv&& &feuvtiJ' LwunJ t tllttl t f f t M I ft lltllilll T ft ft t 1 ft , s P- laimiiii'Jrf-','-iiiiUiiiiiiA'a"l'iiii'i tfrwtrtur, i,-J"-M"'Jt-; r niBf " - -. 1 , . "--ti O Wften. Bi' Leterrnar composer of tfieme music for NPR's Mornino. Edition and Marketplace,, posted a videa ad;, he had no idea Ft would be seen by a creative director in Lcnddni But that's wftat happerred And' now he's- writing musicfor Coca-Cola UK. Who knows where your video ad might take you? .com SeU your servkes. Sell yotnrseff1 Povwred fey. Tw.herafdfiXtra.cora. ' 1 2 Jazz, Ballet, Tap, Tumbling Hip Hop, Technique, TapfBaUet combo, and Tmy Tots classes are available. ENROLLMENT STfLt emu k-bat by Scott Hancock Contact information: (801)785-5883 90 South Main Street, Pleasant Grove Adult Intensive Drug & Alcohol Treatment Are you relapsing despite outpatient counseling & supports? Do you need to get away from triggers & influences, and focus completely on recovery? 0cz2dsu ILcdlpc? is a peaceful, wooded acreage, 45 mrrrates from Provo. Intensive, 1 2-step. Expert horse therapy, and much more I CALL 888-m-S425 for mfo and a FREE, confidential consnftation for yonrsetf or for a loved one. wwwMtahsummitlodgexom 13 ; Caoell Vaiii At .wmWm. iuui uiiuo ojrjjjr ' I iA MW IMiMt mJa J IMcfaa couDcn cods CSS17 Good Feb. 22h o 1 1?? |