August 25, 2010

Ryan Wittman Signs Contract With Italy’s Forli

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Cornell all-time leading scorer and reigning Ivy League Player of the Year Ryan Wittman ’10 yesterday confirmed to The Sun that he has signed a contract to play for Fulgor Libertas Forli in Italy.

While Wittman admitted that he didn’t know much about the team, he did mention that “I know they’re in Italy’s second division, which is a very good league compared to other first divisions in other countries.”

He also referenced that former Villanova standout and AP First-team All-American Scottie Reynolds will be “playing for a different team in the same league” –– that being Italian club Prima Veroli.

Wittman, who has never been to Italy before, will be living about 30 minutes away from one of the country’s most notable metropolises, Bologna.

“From what I hear, [Forli] is an amazing city,” he said.

Wittman was one of the driving forces behind Cornell’s record-breaking 2009-10 season and unprecedented NCAA tournament run, and is the fourth member of the class of 2010 to sign a professional basketball contract overseas. He will be departing for Italy on Sept. 5, in time to prepare for the upcoming LegaDue championship.

Since Forli’s schedule is not finalized, Witt is uncertain if he’ll be able to make it back to Ithaca for Cornell’s home opener on Nov. 17, during which the Sweet 16 banner will be raised to the rafters.

According to the team’s press release, the difference between Wittman and the other players Forli has signed as of late: “Wittman is not a gamble; Wittman is already a wonderful reality.”

Original Author: Alex Kuczynski-Brown