For six years, Brigham Young assistant men’s basketball coach Andy Toolson spent his summers at Syracuse. While he continued his professional playing career in Spain, Toolson looked forward to spending a month studying at SU – a month which he called a time to relax from his playing career.

To most students, taking a month each summer to take classes toward a graduate degree would seem far from an ideal vacation. Not for Toolson, though. He came to love the Central New York summer and enjoyed spending time away from basketball.

This afternoon at 3, when the Orangemen take on Toolson’s Cougars, he will get a chance to relive his days at Syracuse. It will also be the first time he will get to meet SU head coach Jim Boeheim in person.

‘I had a post-graduate scholarship from BYU and one way to obtain my master’s degree was to study at Syracuse,’ Toolson said. ‘It had the program that allowed me to keep my job in Europe. It gave me relief and helped me keep my mind off of basketball.’

Because Toolson attended Syracuse each year in July, he never got a chance to meet Boeheim or any Syracuse assistants. He often played pick-up ball at Manley Field House. He never played against any Orangemen players, just other students as a way to keep in shape for his career in Europe.

For Toolson, his experience in Syracuse was also unique because he had spent most of his life in Utah and close to his Mormon roots. He attended BYU, leading the Cougars to two conference championships and, in 1988, a No. 2 national ranking. He spent just over a year with the Utah Jazz before heading overseas to continue his professional career.

Toolson, though, said he never had any problems adapting to Syracuse. In fact, Elmira, just a two-hour drive from SU, is believed to be the birthplace of the Mormon religion.

Now, while coaching the Cougars, Toolson still finds himself rooting for the school that he jokingly calls his ‘second alma mater.’ Two seasons ago, Toolson attended the SU football team’s season-opening loss to BYU. He also attended the Final Four last season to root for Syracuse.

‘It’s the only other place I’ve ever gone to college,’ Toolson said. ‘I’ve obviously spent more time at BYU so I don’t have quite the same connection (with Syracuse).’

According to Toolson’s players he still has some of his old tricks on the court. When freshman forward Garner Meads spent the past two seasons on his mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – the Mormon Church – it was Toolson who kept in contact with Meads through letters. When players are on missions, they are not supposed to have any phone contact with the outside world.

‘He’s a great person to talk to because he’ll always listen if you have something to get off your chest,’ Meads said. ‘But he’s also great as a skills guy, because he’ll go out and play you one-on-one and he’ll beat ya. He’ll shoot it right over you.’

Published on March 17, 2004 at 12:00 pm