THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Tuesday, December 20, 1994             TAG: 9412200437
SECTION: SPORTS                   PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE                         LENGTH: Short :   46 lines

W. BRANCH'S BLY SAYS HE'LL SIGN WITH N. CAROLINA

Two-sport All-Tidewater player Dre Bly of Western Branch said Monday that he will sign a football scholarship with the University of North Carolina.

Bly, a football wide receiver and defensive back and baseball outfielder, chose the Tar Heels over Virginia Tech after visiting Chapel Hill over the weekend. He'd previously visited Virginia and Virginia Tech and canceled visits to Syracuse and Clemson.

``It was between UNC and Tech,'' Bly said. ``I went to UNC's summer football camp the last two years and have always wanted to be a Tar Heel.''

Bly said he will sign during the national signing period in February.

The 5-foot-11 1/2, 176-pounder said that North Carolina coaches project him as a defensive back.

In three years with the Bruins, Bly caught 54 passes for 1,174 yards and 13 touchdowns. As a senior, he caught 27 passes for 593 yards and seven touchdowns and was named to the All-Tidewater first team.

As a defensive back, Bly had 18 interceptions, seven as a senior.

Bly said he might also be used as a kick returner, where his 4.29 speed in the 40-yard dash could be make him a threat.

Bly is awaiting results from the American College Test. He has the necessary grade-point average to qualify under NCAA freshman eligibility standards.

A lefthanded-batting leadoff man in baseball, Bly batted .391 for the Bruins as a junior and stole 22 bases. If he does play college baseball, he will join another first-team All-Tidewater selection at UNC, Green Run lefthanded pitcher Chris Elmore, who signed a baseball grant last month.

Bly also may go high enough in June's pro baseball draft to entice him to play baseball part time. He has been followed by a number of scouts and could opt to play pro baseball while continuing to play college football.

Bly is the second Western Branch player this fall to commit to a Division I football scholarship. Lineman Todd Hollowell committed to Wake Forest two weeks ago. ILLUSTRATION: Dre Bly

by CNB