Nic Unloads Player After Theft Charge
North Idaho College basketball player Toby Stack was dismissed from the team on Tuesday after being cited on three misdemeanor theft charges Saturday night in Price, Utah.
Stack, 20, was charged with theft of lost property, attempted unlawful use of a credit card and giving false information for a police report, Lt. Ed Shook told the Sun Advocate newspaper in Price.
Stack apparently tried to charge $38 of merchandise on a stolen credit card at a store shortly after NIC’s 86-76 loss to Eastern Utah.
“The card was reported stolen the night before (from CEU’s gymnasium),” Shook said. “When he attempted to use it, it came back stolen.”
According to a police report, Stack told the clerk he was going back on the team bus to get some identification, but he didn’t return.
Police pulled the bus over within two blocks of the store. Members of the men’s and women’s teams waited several hours as police questioned Stack, who was allowed to return to Coeur d’Alene with the team.
Stack changed his story several times during the interview, according to the police report.
Stack couldn’t be reached for comment.
NIC coach Hugh Watson said Stack, who lists his hobbies in the media guide as going to church and reading the Bible, is “a good kid and I love him. I still love him. This just breaks my heart.”
Stack was dismissed from the team and his scholarship was revoked because he violated athletic department policy, Watson said.
Watson is trying to help Stack find a four-year school to continue his playing career.
“The most important thing is the kid’s life,” Watson said. “We all make mistakes.”
Stack, a reserve 6-foot sophomore guard from Missoula, was averaging about four points per game in limited playing time.
Women’s ranking improves
The North Idaho women’s basketball team, which swept Colorado Northwestern and Eastern Utah, moved up one spot to 14th in the latest NJCAA poll.
NIC (17-1 overall, 7-1 Scenic West) is in first place heading into a Friday showdown with No. 25 Ricks (12-6, 6-2) in Rexburg, Idaho.
The Cardinal men (14-2, 6-2), who went 1-1 on the trip, slipped out of the top 20 after being ranked 19th. Eastern Utah is rated No. 13, two spots lower than last week, following its loss to Ricks.
NIC visits Ricks (18-2, 6-2) on Friday.
Wrestlers keep pace
The NIC wrestling team held onto its No. 3 ranking heading into Thursday’s home dual with No. 1 Ricks at 7:30 in Christianson Gym.
Ricks defeated NIC earlier this season and also beat No. 2 Lassen, which didn’t wrestle at full strength in their dual. Lassen topped NIC last month in Coeur d’Alene.
Vandals nab lineman
Josh Wright, a 6-6, 290-pound offensive lineman from Mukilteo, Wash., has made an oral commitment to play football for the University of Idaho.
Wright reportedly was recruited by Washington, Oregon State and Boise State.
, DataTimes