UVU basketball: Wolverines finishing up provisional status

OREM — When Utah Valley's basketball team steps onto the court for the 2009-10 season, it will be an official member program of the NCAA.

For now, all the Wolverines can do is settle for NCAA-mandated provisional status and wait for their day to come.

In March 2001, the athletic department at Utah Valley State College announced the school would make begin to make the move from junior college to NCAA Division I beginning in 2003.

In the Wolverines' first season on their road to Division I, Utah Valley went 23-5 and won the so-called NCAA Provisional Championship. The Wolverines got a buzzer-beating, overtime 3-pointer from freshman Ryan Toolson to win the game against Florida Gulf Coast 81-80 on the Eagles' home floor.

According to the NCAA Division I manual of bylaws, NCAA provisional membership is available to four-year colleges and universities and two-year upper-level collegiate institutions. Such a school may apply for membership and after acceptance begins a one-year exploratory period. Each school is also required to pay a $25,000 fee along with the application.

Utah Valley men's basketball sports information director Dave Kimball said after the one-year exploratory period, the university faces periodic checks during a five-year period to make sure athletic and academic standards set by the NCAA are met at Utah Valley.

Barring any hiccups along the way, Utah Valley University should be a full member of the NCAA Division I starting next season.

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E-MAIL: jdavis@desnews.com