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

DATE: SATURDAY, April 21, 1990                   TAG: 9004210277
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

TODD TURNER TAKES OVER TROUBLED PROGRAM AT N.C. STATE

Turner and N.C. State officials said the school would embark on a program to make academics the first priority of its troubled athletics department.

Turner, who takes office July 1, refused to confirm reports that East Tennessee coach Les Robinson would be hired next week as N.C. State's new coach. Turner said he had spoken with Robinson and said a decision would be made soon.

Turner said he admired Valvano's work as coach, but he said the university's effort to remove Valvano helped convince him to make the move.

"The fact that the university stood up and made a decision about the future of the program was a factor in my decision," Turner said.

Turner, 39, replaces interim athletic director Harold Hopfenburg. Turner has a three-year contract, and a $105,000 salary.

Turner is a 1973 graduate of North Carolina, where he played on the golf team. He went on to earn his Masters degree in sports administration at Ohio University. He then spent 11 years in four different positions in the University of Virginia athletic department, serving under athletic directors Gene Corrigan, now the ACC commissioner, and Dick Schultz, now the executive director of the NCAA.