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Former College Basketball Player Dies Suddenly At 37

Originally posted on The Spun | By Matt Hladik | Last updated Feb 23, 2025 6:40 PM ET

Former Cincinnati basketball center Steve Toyloy has passed away at the age of 37.

The 6-foot-8, 255-pound Toyloy played two seasons for the Bearcats (2008-09 and 2009-10) after spending his first two years competing at the junior college level for Miami-Dade. A native of West Palm Beach, Fla., Toyloy led the JUCO level in rebounding as a freshman and averaged a double-double as a sophomore.

Toyloy then appeared in 67 games with 29 starts for the Bearcats from 2008-10. He averaged 3.6 points and 3.5 rebounds per game, including 3.9 points and 3.8 boards during the 2008-09 season.

"Cincinnati basketball mourns the loss of Steve Toyloy, a Bearcat from 2008 to 2010. Our thoughts are with Steve's family, teammates, and all who knew him," Cincinnati basketball wrote on social media.

With Cincinnati, Toyloy scored in double-digits five times, including a 14-point, nine-rebound effort in a win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Dec. 22, 2008. He also narrowly missed a double-double in a win over South Florida on Jan. 20, 2010, scoring nine points and grabbing eight rebounds.

ORLANDO, FL - MARCH 11: Detailed view of the Under Armour shoes worn by Jarron Cumberland #34 of the Cincinnati Bearcats in action during the final game of the 2018 AAC Basketball Championship against Houston Cougars at Amway Center on March 11, 2018 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)

Cincinnati finished 37-30 in Toyloy's two seasons with the program, including a trip to the second round of the NIT in 2010.

Toyloy went on to play several seasons overseas, including most recently in Malaysia.

"Guess who's back! The man who made headlines in 2019 for dunking so forcefully in the Malaysia Pro League (MPL) that he broke the same basket twice is making a comeback! It's none other than the powerhouse in the paint, Steve Toyloy," tweeted basketball writer Jordan Yap in Nov. 2023.

"Four years ago, Toyloy led Farmcochem to break the championship curse, marking the first team to achieve consecutive titles in the millennium. Now, he has signed with UCSI Rising Star, and fans are eager to see if he can help the team make a run for the championship."

Our thoughts and prayers are with Toyloy's friends and family.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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