Heartland Conference

            UAFS was recently recognized by the Heartland Conference and the NCAA for its annual Toy Toss community engagement project.
            It was one of 20 Division II programs from across the nation to receive the Community Engagement Award of Excellence and $500 for its community engagement project.
            “I am honored that the Toy Toss was selected as the winner of the Community Engagement Award for the Heartland Conference. All credit goes to men’s basketball coach Josh Newman, the men’s basketball team and the Lions Athletic Advisory Council for helping promote this event,” UAFS athletic director Dustin Smith said.
            “This was coach Newman’s idea, and it has really blossomed. He will be the first to tell you that he doesn’t do it for the notoriety but, more importantly, as a way to give back to the community and those who are less fortunate.”
            The award was intended to build momentum for Division II’s community engagement initiative and reward institutions for their creativity in advancing relationships within their community. Division II schools were encouraged to submit their best community-engagement promotion from the “ideas that work” section on the Division II community engagement website.
            Each season, UAFS fans are encouraged to bring a new or slightly-used stuffed toy to the Lions’ first game of the men’s basketball classic, and after the Lions score their first points of the game, they are allowed to toss the toys onto the court in celebration.
            “It really is a very exciting evening where the community gets involved and helps out a great cause while having a little fun,” Smith said. “To see the floor completely bare until the first Lions bucket and then to see the barrage of toys flood the arena floor is priceless.”
            While that action results in a technical foul being assessed against the Lions, Newman doesn’t mind at all, considering the event encourages fan involvement and the toys collected go to local needy children in the community.
            “The men’s team gets a technical foul for the Toy Toss, but they continue to host the event,” Smith said. “They understand that the technical is a small price to pay to help those in our community.”
            This year, more than 3,000 stuffed toys were collected for the Salvation Army to deliver during the Christmas season. That more than doubled the amount collected in the inaugural event.
            “What makes this award so special is that it’s not just an award that recognizes the men’s basketball program, it recognizes our entire community. With the help of the 6^th Man Club and the community’s overwhelming support and donations, this event was a huge success,” Newman said.
            “The community took the time to think about someone less fortunate than themselves this holiday season and chose to make a difference. Our basketball program and 6^th Man Club want to say thank you and share this recognition with everyone that helped. It is a special feeling to be able to make a difference, and we will continue to do so every holiday season with the Toy Toss.”