Josh Olsen, a backup point guard on the 2003-04 University of Utah basketball team, will not return to the Ute program when he completes his LDS mission to Florida next summer.

Ron Olsen, Josh's father, said Thursday he and his wife were informed this week that a scholarship would not be available for their son.

Ron Olsen said U. athletic director Chris Hill, as well as current Utah basketball coach Ray Giacoletti, told him his son would receive a scholarship upon his return.

However, Hill and Giacoletti say it is a complicated matter connected to the fact that former coach Rick Majerus reneged on a scholarship offer to Olsen in November 2002 when he gave a scholarship to another player. Olsen ended up as a walk-on that season with the apparent understanding of receiving a scholarship when he returned from his mission.

The U. petitioned the NCAA to get the scholarship back for Olsen that he was given by Majerus before the basketball program was put on probation. However, last week the NCAA denied Utah's request for the additional scholarship.

"He was never on scholarship, and I didn't realize what his situation was," Giacoletti said. "We were under no obligation. I tried in every way I could to help."

Although the Utes have two more scholarships open for next year, which they could offer to Olsen, they are looking to sign a forward and a center. This year's team added three guards, Johnnie Bryant, Lawrence Borha and Ricky Johns, and Curtis Eatmon, a highly-touted guard from California, has committed to sign this November. If the Ute coaches thought Olsen was as good or better than those four, they undoubtedly would have welcomed him back.

Another problem is Utah's shaky APR (Academic Progress and Retention) standing with the NCAA.

The basketball program is below the 925 minimum rating and is likely to stay below that number for the next year, due to three players leaving the program last spring and Richard Chaney leaving in the summer. If Olsen was given a scholarship and then decided to leave because of a lack of playing time, that would hurt the APR rating even more.

"We will do everything we can within NCAA rules to fulfill our financial commitment," Hill said.

However, Ron Olsen said while his son "had a great experience at the U.," and "in his heart he's a Ute," his son wants to play Division I basketball.

Olsen said his son, a former Deseret Morning News Mr. Basketball, was recruited by Utah State and BYU as well as Ohio State out of high school.

He said no contacts have been made with any schools yet, but he hopes his son will have a place to play when he returns in early July.

Josh Olsen averaged 2.4 points and 1.6 assists in 14 minutes per game for Utah's 24-9 team in 2003-04.

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