Ryan Scott Wittman (born October 26, 1987) is an American former basketball player, best known for his college career at Cornell University. As of 2024, he holds the record for the most three-point field goals in men's Ivy League history.
In July 2005, Wittman played for the AAU team Minnesota Select. The team was 5–1 in the Las Vegas Classic, an AAU playoff tournament. He led Select scorers with 15 points in a quarterfinal loss to the Houston Hoops, 59–53. Their season record was 27–14.[6]
As a senior, his points per game average exploded to 20.5, and he hit 50 percent of his shots from three-point range and 84 percent from the foul line.[3] One of the highlights of that season was upsetting Braham High School on December 30, 2005, who had a 65-game unbeaten streak snapped by the 80–67 loss to the Eagles. Wittman scored 30 points in that contest, including five-of-six from beyond the arc.[7] After the season was over, Wittman was one of the five finalists for Minnesota Mr. Basketball and was listed as the sixth best Minnesota high school player by GopherIllustrated.com. In addition to being selected onto the First Team All Metro, he was a First Team All-State selection by the Timberwolves and a Second Team All-State selection by the St. Paul Pioneer Press.[3]
In Wittman's first collegiate game, he broke the Cornell record for most points in a freshman collegiate opener with 18 points, also finishing with three rebounds and two assists. That game, a 64–61 road win against Northwestern, was Cornell's first victory against a Big Ten school in 39 years.[11] At Cornell, Wittman was a member of the Quill and Dagger society. As of 2024, he holds the record for the most three-point field goals in men's Ivy League history.[12]
