ROANOKE TIMES

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, June 18, 1995                   TAG: 9506210031
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: E-11   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: FROM STAFF REPORTS
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short


PAST HOKIES RUSH TO PLAY IN ROANOKE

The Roanoke Rush football team will have a distinct Virginia Tech flavor when it opens its inaugural season Aug.5.

In addition to former Hokies assistant Denie Marie, who will serve as head coach, the Rush staff will include former Tech assistant Duke Strager and former player Robby Hudson. Strager will serve as defensive coordinator, and Hudson will aide former NFL player Tom Pettigrew in working with the offensive line.

Also on the Rush staff are Paul Ripley and C.J. Walker.

The Rush's current roster includes such former Tech players as running back Ranall White, linebacker Rusty Pendleton, quarterback Eric Smith, lineman Steve Dressler and tight end Eric Woods.

The team will hold minicamp tryouts at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday and June 28 at Washington Park in Roanoke. There is a $20 registration fee, and players are asked to wear cleats and shorts. For information, call 1-800-978-RUSH (1-800-978-7874).

In other sports in the region:

Virginia finished second to James Madison in overall winning percentage in the Virginia Sports Information Directors' Association survey of NCAA Division I programs.

JMU had a winning percentage of .611 (234-148-4) during the 1994-95 school year, followed by UVa. (.601), Old Dominion (.595), Virginia Tech (.574), George Mason (.559), William and Mary (.544), Richmond (.515), Virginia Commonwealth (.496), VMI (.466), Radford (.458) and Liberty (.434).



 by CNB