[1-News-Head]

(------------)
[ENG#=1]
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

A divided Supreme Court rejects V-M-I's supper-time prayer.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]

And the effort to come up with a state budget may put the brakes to the car tax cut.

[Sports-Head]


[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]
[ENG#=2]

Tonight on News 7 sports - Tech and Miami help give the ACC 39 players in the NFL draft. Five more Hokies sign free agent contracts,
(------------)
[VO-NAT]


and the Northside Vikings win the Civitan Club's sportsmanship award.
(------------)


[WX-Head]
[ANCHOR=Robin]
[SS=None]


Rain returns on this Monday, WeatherSchool is also back and so it a very cold forecast. Details ahead.
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Keith 4-Shot]


News 7 is next.
[Video-Open]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=Video Open]



[ENG#=3]
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=O God]
[RUNS=:03 ]
[OUT Q=on the Corps.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

The supper-time prayer at V-M-I, already a thing of the past.
[ANCHOR=SHannon 2-Shot]

The U-S Supreme Court decides to leave it that way.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]


Good evening, I'm Shannon Young.
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]


And I'm Keith Humphry.
[VMI-Prayer]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=04-03 TC1:14:33]
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]

The nation's highest court today refused to hear Virginia's appeal.
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

The decision upholds a ruling from Judge Norman Moon that organized prayer at a state-supported military school is un-Constitutional.
[ENG#=4]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lexington/2001]

In 2001 Cadets Neil Mellen and Paul Knick sued Superintendent Josiah Bunting, challenging the Constitutionality of compulsory prayer at mealtime. The two cadets have since graduated, and General Bunting has retired. So the Supreme Court says it's a moot issue. Justice Antonin Scalia disagrees, pointing out "VMI has previously seen another of its traditions abolished by this Court," referring to the 1996 decision that led to the admission of women. "This time, however," Scalia writes, VMI's "cause has been ignored rather than rejected- -though the consequence will be just the same." Chief Justice William Rehnquist sided with Scalia, urging the full court to consider the prayer issue.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 23:16:10]
[IN Q=The inability to say]

((JERRY KILGORE/VA ATTORNEY GENERAL; THE INABILITY TO SAY THIS PRAYER, I THINK, WILL HAVE AN OVER-REACHING IMPACT ON THE INSTITUTE. ANYTIME YOU LOSE THE ABILITY TO CALL EVERYONE'S ATTENTION TO THE SERIOUSNESS OF DUTY AND SERVICE TO COUNTRY, I THINK YOU LOSE A LOT.))
[SUPER=@kilgore]
[RUNS=17]
[OUT Q=lose a lot.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The majority opinion of the court today noted "there is no injunction presently barring V-M-I from re-instituting the supper prayer." But Justice Scalia pointed out that the school would open itself to lawsuits for damages, if it did reinstitute the evening prayer. And a spokesman for the Institute said the corps doesn't eat together as a whole anymore anyway, so the structure for that is no longer there.
(------------)



[XGR-budget]


[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mmu]
[TAPE#=04-09 TC57:36]
[SS=VA Budget]


Today marks a break-through in the state budget stalemate.
The Senate moved forward with a tax plan but is putting the brakes on the car tax phase-out
[DOUBLE BOXES=Shannon & Meghan /State Microwave;]


Meghan Muldoon joins us from the State Capitol with the latest.
After several delays, the Senate Finance Committee finally reported out a bill
[LIVE=Meghan /FULL State Microwave]
[SUPER=@Meghan1]
[SUPER=05-Richmond]


that raises one billion dollars in new taxes.
Most importantly, the panel says enough House members are on board with the plan to get it passed in both bodies.
[ENG#=1]
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Sen. John Chichester/(R) Fredericksburg; :00]
[SUPER=03-Richmond; :]
[SUPER=01-Sen. Richard Saslaw/(D) Springfield; :]
[RUNS=1:19]
[OUT Q=OUT OF STATE TO COLLEGE.]
(([SOT ::]

((16:44:56 this hasn't been an easy task...for us to complete our work. :06)) [RUNS:10]
One hundred and four days after the session opened, the legislature finally seems poised to agree on a budget.

[SOT ::]

((16:50:18 i'm very pleased with what happened today. very pleased. :21 )) [RUNS:03]
The Senate Finance Committee unanimously approved a tax plan that boosts the state sales tax by half a penny.
Half of the increase will be dedicated to pay for public education.
The plan raises the state's cigarette tax to thirty cents, increases the recordation tax, closes some corporate loopholes and gobbles up some of the food tax.
The big change is a cap on the state car tax reimbursements.
Without the freeze, the car tax phaseout is expected to cost the state one-point-seven billion dollars a year.
[SOT ::]

((59:17 YOU'RE ASKING THE PARENT WOULD RATHER PAY OR SPEND TO SEND YOUR KID OUT OF STATE TO COLLEGE :30)) [RUNS:13]
[OUT Q=OUT OF STATE TO COLLEGE.]))
(------------)
[LIVE=Meghan /FULL State Microwave]
[SUPER=05-Richmond;]


Scheduled to vote tomorrow
[DOUBLE BOXES=Shannon & Meghan/Microwave;]


Then the House is expected to take it up in the afternoon

[Augusta-Murder]


[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sba]
[TAPE#=04-06 TC1:36:16]
[GRAPHIC=Murder Invest.]
[ENG#=2]

The bodies of three people killed in Augusta County this weekend have been identified.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Stuarts Draft]

19-year-old Angela Lucas, 23-year-old Jennifer Bassett and 18-year-old Chadwick Woodson all died Sunday morning of gunshot wounds. Sheriff Randy Fisher says Woodson came to see his ex-girlfriend, Angela Lucas early Sunday morning and then shot her and her friend before turning the gun on himself. It was Woodson's family who stumbled on the scene and called 911.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT@12:48:42:10]
[IN Q=He was gone..]

((RANDY FISHER/AUGUSTA CO. SHERIFF: HE WAS GONE. THEY WENT LOOKING FOR HIM, IN THE PROCESS OF LOOKING THEY CHECKED MS. BASSETT'S AND SAW HIS CAR THERE OUTSIDE WITH THE DOOR OPEN, ALONG WITH THE TRAILER DOOR OPEN. THEY WENT IN AND DISCOVERED THE SCENE.))
[SUPER=01-Randy Fisher/Augusta Co. Sheriff]
[RUNS=:18]
[OUT Q=... discovered the scene.]
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[GRAPHICS=HOLD]

Woodson and Lucas had an 8-month old baby who was at the trailer during the shooting. The child was unharmed and is staying with family.

[Carroll-Murder]


[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=rde]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]

A Carroll County man has pled guilty to the shooting death of his neighbor. 30-year old Lee Howard Wilmoth entered an alford plea to second degree murder. That means he does not admit guilt but acknowledges there's enough evidence to convict him. Wilmoth shot Larry Ralph King in the chest after an argument at King's home in the Cana section of the county. Wilmoth was sentenced to 24 years in prison.

[Hylton]


[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=rde]
[TAPE#=04-08 TC1:37:24]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=3]

A Christiansburg officer killed in the line of duty last year is being honored in Washington D.C. today.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

43 year old officer Scott Hylton was killed almost a year ago while responding to a shoplifting call.
[SUPER=03-Christiansburg/May 2003;]

He was beaten and then shot by the suspect outside a town gas station. Hylton is among 145 officers killed last year in the line of duty.
[SUPER=03-Washington, DC]

Today, the officers names are being added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. Several members of the Christiansburg Police Department plan to attend a candlelight vigil at the memorial next month.

(-------------)



[Tease#1]
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]
[SS=NONE]
[ENG#=V10]


Still ahead on NEws 7, we'll start our look at the four candidates running for Mayor of Roanoke.
(---------------)
[VO-NAT]
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]


Plus Roanoke's deer management program wraps up its first season.
Did it hit its mark?
(----------------)

[1st-Wx]
[Roanoke-Mayor]
(MINI OPEN)
[NEWSCAST=Six]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=04-04 TC1:56:19]
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-SHot]


Next week, Roanoke voters must choose among four candidates as they decide who will succeed Ralph Smith as Mayor.
[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]

[***NEWS 7 @ 6 IN MONITOR***]
[DOUBLE BOXES=Keith-Shannon & JoeD /Newsroom;]


Today, Joe Dashiell begins our look at the candidates with a profile of Republican Alice Hincker.
[LIVE= JoeD /FULL Newsroom]
[SUPER=@Joe1;]

Keith and Shannon, it was the recent controversy involving Roanoke City Schools that brought Alice Hincker to public prominence.
But Hincker has been working hard to persuade voters she is NOT a single issue candidate.
[ENG#=1]
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=She may be new to the political stage]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00]
[SUPER=04-Last Week; :08]
[SUPER=04-January 29; :29]
[SUPER=01-Alice Hincker/(R) Candidate for Mayor; 1:07]
[RUNS=1:14]
[OUT Q=and do the job they want them to do.]

((She may be new to the political stage and the public spotlight, but don't call Alice Hincker a stay- at- home mom.


[SOT HINCKER AT KIWANIS]
[IN Q=I just want to tell you]

((I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU THAT I THINK THAT'S A MISNOMER, BECAUSE I HAVEN'T BEEN STAYING AT HOME MUCH FOR SEVERAL YEARS.))
[RUNS= :09]
[OUT Q=for several years.]


As a volunteer and consultant, Hincker was active in the community before she raised questions about the school system's record of reporting crime and violence.
And when she announced her campaign back in january, she said her concerns extended well beyond the classroom.
[SOT]
[IN Q=I believe the city of Roanoke]

((I BELIEVE THE CITY OF ROANOKE HAS A LEADERSHIP VACUUM IN ITS SCHOOL SYSTEM, IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. AND I BELIEVE THIS IS DRASTICALLY AFFECTING ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE IN ROANOKE.))
[RUNS= :12]
[OUT Q=all aspects of life in Roanoke.]


Since she received Ralph Smith's endorsement and the Republican nomination, Hincker has campaigned alongside fellow GOP council candidate Wendy Jones... [NAT SOUND OF HINCKER CAMPAIGNING]
Hincker promises to make government more representative and responsive to citizens, encourage smarter spending decisions, and insure council is not just a rubber stamp for the city administration.
[SOT HINCKER INTERVIEW]
[IN Q=I hope integrity]

((I HOPE INTEGRITY IS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE WILL THINK ABOUT AS THEY GO IN THERE, THINKING ABOUT WHO DO THEY TRUST TO GET IN THERE AND DO THE JOB THEY WANT THEM TO DO.))
[RUNS= :09]
[OUT Q=the job they want them to do.]))
(-------------)
[LIVE= JoeD /FULL Newsroom]


Over the weekend, Hincker was campaigning in Northeast Roanoke, an area that was critical to Ralph Smith four years ago, and an area that she hopes will help her carry the election next Tuesday.
[DOUBLE BOXES=Keith-Shannon & JoeD /Newsroom;]


Keith and Shannon, tomorrow we'll take a closer look at Mac McCadden's independent campaign.


[Ceiling-Fall]


[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=myr]
[TAPE#=04-12 TC39:02]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=2]

A Roanoke woman is recovering after a unusual accident this morning in her bathroom.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]

21-year-old Latasha Webb says she was taking a shower when part of the ceiling fell on her head. It happened at the Afton Gardens apartments on Hunt Avenue. Apartment manager, Webbie Hemp, says flooding from an overflowed toilet upstairs caused the accident, but Webb's mother says her daughter notified maintenance several months ago that she was having problems.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 12:00:01]
[IN Q=i told her]

((DENISE ABRAMS/WEBB'S MOTHER: I TOLD HER IT'S WATER LEAKING AGAIN FROM THAT, IT'S GONE TO BUBBLING, I TOLD HER YOU NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THAT IMMEDIATELY, NOBODY TOOK CARE OF IT.))
[SUPER=01-Denise Abrams/Webb's Mother;]
[RUNS=08]
[OUT Q=took care of it]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Hemp says she was unaware of any prior complaints about the ceiling, but that she will look into it. Webb was taken to Roanoke Community Hospital, where she was treated and released.
(------------)



[Giles-Ax]


[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=rde]
[TAPE#=04-13 TC27:00]
[GRAPHIC=Accident]
[ENG#=3]

An accident tied up traffic this afternoon on 460 in Giles County.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Giles Co.;]

Police say a West Virginia man heading east bound, lost control of his car, knocked down several signs and then went airborne into the west bound lanes. The driver of a tractor trailer saw the car coming and crashed into the shoulder and a guardrail to avoid a serious accident. The driver of the car, Jubal Dean Perdue of Peterstown, West Virginia, was taken to Giles Memorial Hospital. Police say his injuries do not appear to be life threatening.
(------------)



[Deer-Program]


[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6 p.m.]
[WRITER=syo]
[TAPE#=04-07 TC1:24:28]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=4]

Roanoke hit a bullseye with its deer management program.
(------------)
[VO-NAT :25]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/File Tape;]

Between November and February sharpshooters took 109 deer within Roanoke City limits. Roanoke police donated the 83-hundred pounds of meat to Hunters for the Hungry. The program was approved by city council a year ago as a way to solve the city's deer overpopulation problem. Officials say too many deer can result in disease, damage to landscaping and car accidents. Police say the first season concluded with "favorable results."
(------------)



[Stocks]


[ANCHOR=Keith 2-Shot]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=None]
[GRAPHIC=None]


Stock prices closed lower on Wall Street today. [TAKE DOW & NASDAQ PAGE]
[RUNS=:30]
[SUPER=x5000;]
[SUPER=440-y/28.11/10444.73/y/13.00/2036.77;]
[ANCHOR=Shannon 2-Shot]


The DOW fell 28 points.
NASDAQ lost 13.
[SUPER=271-i/1.04/43.19/i/0.32/55.58/h/0.05/30.82/i/1.50/92.85/i/0.26/81.19;]
[SUPER=272-i/0.02/34.70/i/0.23/21.37/i/0.24/7.30/h/0.15/63.72/h/0.06/30.75;]
[SUPER=273-i/0.04/9.19/i/0.29/41.16/i/0.25/17.50/i/0.81/23.93/h/0.25/6.39;]
[SUPER=274-h/0.09/13.78/i/0.04/69.72/h/0.20/37.74/i/0.04/45.90/i/0.83/58.14;]
[SUPER=#555; Reset]


[SPONSOR ANNOUNCE]
[COMMERCIAL]

[Bioterrorism]


[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=cja]
[TAPE#=04-05 TC1:51:53]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=1]


Fears about bioterrorism brought public safety and health agencies together today.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]


Law enforcement, public health employees, and others were on-scene at the Clarion Hotel, to learn about Forensic Epidemiology.
The Virginia Department of Health held the seminars, which also gave participants the opportunity to strengthen communication lines between each agency.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 05:45]
[IN Q=Previous to September]

((JOHN O'SHEA/VIRGINIA DEPT. OF HEALTH: PREVIOUS TO SEPTEMBER ELEVENTH, THERE WAS A LOT OF SILO'S WHERE EVERYONE WORKED INDEPENDENTLY AND DIDN'T COMMUNICATE. AND NOW THOSE WALLS ARE COMING DOWN, PEOPLE ARE TALKING TO EACH OTHER, WORKING TOGETHER, AND WE REALIZE WE CAN'T WORK INDEPENDENTLY. WE HAVE TO WORK HAND IN HAND.))
[SUPER=01-John O'Shea/Virginia Dept. of Health]
[RUNS=:14]
[OUT Q=hand in hand.]
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[GRAPHIC=None]


Training sessions continue tomorrow, when participants will perform scenario-driven exercises.

[United-Way]


[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=rde]
[TAPE#=04-11 TC48:55]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=2]

For the first time in 12 years the Montgomery, Radford and Floyd United Way has raised less money than the year before.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Christiansburg;]

The agency is about 120-thousand dollars short of its goal. That's a 6-percent decrease from last year's campaign. Agency officials say money is tight and the losses are not just in donations. They say state and federal funding for local programs is down significantly.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT: 4:48:54:00 ]
[IN Q=It's almost]

((KYMN DAVIDSON HAMLEY/UNITED WAY: IT'S ALMOST LIKE THE PERFECT STORM. AGENCIES ARE BEING HIT FROM EVERY SIDE AND ITS GETTING TO THE POINT NOW WHERE SOME OF THEM WILL HAVE TO START REDUCING STAFFING AND PROGRAMS. ))
[SUPER=01-Kymn Davidson-Hamley/United Way;]
[RUNS=:10]
[OUT Q=and programs.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The goal was to raise a little more than a million dollars. Officials say it's not too late to help out. The United Way is still accepting donations for it's 2003-2004 campaign through the end of June.
(------------)



[Sports Tease]


[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=None]
[ENG#=V10]

Coming up tonight on News 7 sports - Northside gets a pat on the back for being good sports. Tech's wrestling coach resigns.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

and five more Virginia Tech players including Keith Willis and Doug Easlick sign free agent contracts in the NFL.
(------------)



[S-NFL]


[ANCHOR=mIKE]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=sp-168 4801TC]
[GRAPHIC=NFL DRAFT]

The NFL draft this past weekend turned into a bonanza for the Hokies and several other schools. In fact we thought it might be interesting to see how the 7 round draft stacked up for the "New ACC."
(XXXXXXXXXXXX)

[GO TO NEW ACC FIRST BOARD] The newcomers Miami and Tech contributed a total of 14 picks for the conference. Florida State, Ga. Tech and Maryland joined the Hokies with 5 players being drafted.
(XXXXXXXXXXXXX)

[GO TO NEW ACC SECOND BOARD] That gives the New ACC a total of 39 players picked in the draft.
(-------------)
[talent=mike]
[graphic=hold draft]

Today, five more Hokies signed free agent contracts. Cols Colas is headed to the Ravens, Doug Easlick signs with the Dolphins.
[ENG#=1]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg; :00]

And two players are headed to the Green Bay Packers including big tight end Keith Willis, who should have a great chance of earning a roster spot. Also, headed to Green Bay is receiver Chris Shreve. The Carroll County native hopes to impress the Pack with his blazing speed.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=MIKE]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD NFL DRAFT]

Former Hokie Garnell Wilds became the fifth Tech player to sign a free agent deal when he inked a contract with the Redskins.

[S-Taylor]


[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=SP-163 20249TC]
[GRAPHIC=]



[ENG#=2]

[TAKE TAKE TAKE TAKE]

(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-NFL; :00]

Speaking of the Washington Redskins - Joe Gibbs and company welcomed their first round draft pick to Redskins' Park this afternoon. Sean Taylor, the safety from Miami is expected to step right into the Redskins' starting lineup this season.
(------------)



[S-Civitan]


[ANCHOR=mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-171 48:54]
[GRAPHIC=News 7 sports]
[ENG#=3]


The Northside girls' basketball team won the 10th annual Civitan women's sportsmanship Award today.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00]


The awards banquet was held at the Patrick Henry Hotel this afternoon. The Civitan Club presented the award to the Northside team for its exemplary sportsmanship throughout out the season. The Vikings were 25 and 2 and made it all the way to the state semifinals but according to the officials who reffed their games and voted on the Civitan award, their character was even stronger than their talent.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Trayce Coe/Northside Head Coach; :00]
[SUPER=01-Dana Powell/Northside Senior Point Guard; 14]
[RUNS=:26]
[OUT Q=.......staying together"]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]


The Civitan Club also gave out a scholarship to a deserving student athlete and this years winner was Northside guard Megan Kanode. She will be attending Virginia Tech. Megan has a 3.7 grade point average and will apply the 500 dollar Civitan's scholarship money to her college education.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Megan Kanode/Civitan Scholarship Winner; :00]
[RUNS=:07]
[OUT Q=......do that everyday"]
(------------)



[S-Softball]


[ANCHOR=Mike]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-177 1:52]
[GRAPHIC=ODAC]
[ENG#=4]


The 2004 Old Dominion Athletic Conference softball team has been released. Roanoke College first baseman Kim Rowe is the ODAC player of the year. She is batting .454 with five homeruns.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg; :00]


Lynchburg's Jen Overstreet is the conference pitcher of the year. She compiled a 23 and 7 record which is second in the nation. She finished the season with a 1.86 ERA with 136 strikeouts in 192 innings.
Hornets coach Dawn Simmons was selected the ODAC coach of the year for the second year in a row. Simmons and her staff led Lynchburg to a 14 and 2 conference record.
(------------)
[anchor=mike]
[graphic=HOLD]


Lynchburg freshman Caroline Cubbage is the conference freshman of the year. She led the Hornets with a .432 batting average.

[S-Wrestle]


[ANCHOR=mike ]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-174 3:20]
[GRAPHIC=Tech]
[ENG#=1]


The coaching changes at Virginia Tech continue. Hokies wrestling coach Keith Mourlam has resigned.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co; :00]


Tech athletic Director Jim Weaver announced that Mourlam is leaving the program for personal reasons. Mourlam was head coach of Virginia Tech's wrestling team since 1996. Mourlam had a 50-74 and 1 record in eight seasons in Blacksburg, including a 6 and 12 mark this past season. His best season was 1999 when Tech was 10 and 7. Mourlam also brought exposure to Tech's program, bringing wrestling legend Dan Gable to campus. A search for a new coach begins immediately. (------------)
by SS