Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, May 13, 1990 TAG: 9005130033
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Mountaineers, having become an independent football power, are looking to join an all-sports conference. Their desire to improve upon their current ties with the Atlantic 10 for basketball and non-revenue sports was heightened by the announcement last December that longtime rival Penn State was invited to join the Big Ten.
The Mountaineers' football series with the Nittany Lions runs out in 1994.
"We're very much interested in an all-sports conference," said Ed Pastilong, West Virginia's athletic director. "We've been hoping we might be able to join a well-established conference, or that we could be part in developing a grouping of Eastern Seaboard teams that would include programs of national prominence.
"If that doesn't come about, we will remain an independent and remain in the Atlantic 10. In regards to the Metro, it's an excellent conference, but we haven't had talks when them, nor have they approached us about membership. It is a basketball/non-revenue conference right now, however, and we're part of one of those [the Atlantic 10]."
West Virginia is one of nine non-member schools the Metro had included in a Raycom Sports & Entertainment study of potential Metro expansion schools. Pastilong said he was impressed with the "objective approach to study how to best market [the Metro] product," and the thoroughness displayed by Raycom executives when they visited WVU for the study.
"If, in that study, it's suggested that the Metro go to an all-sports conference, we would definitely be interested," Pastilong said, "and I have indicated to [Metro] athletic directors that they should come and talk to us. I think we'd have something to offer.
"I would have to think the Metro would be very interested in us. We'd have a lot to offer them. Last football season, we played in the Gator Bowl and took home $1.2 million. The year before we were in the Fiesta Bowl and took home $3 million. We've been successful in basketball. And we've had some success in non-revenue sports, too."
WVU was on the verge of becoming the Metro's ninth member five years ago, but backed away when a change of administration took place at the school.
The Mountaineers have played in seven bowls and six NCAA basketball tournaments since 1980. West Virginia commands the attention and has the allegiance of virtually an entire state, something no Metro school can claim. The Morgantown, W.Va., university also would put the Metro into the No. 17 television market, Pittsburgh. And for Metro member Virginia Tech, the admittance of West Virginia to the league would give the Hokies something they have lacked - a legitimate conference rival.
Pastilong has been kept abreast of the Metro's expansion/realignment rumors by Tech athletic director Dave Braine. The two also have conversed regularly on the potential for an Eastern Seaboard league; both schools have been among the dozen or so that have talked about a potential affiliation in recent years.
Penn State's announced move to the Big Ten - which many athletic directors in the league and in the East figure never will transpire - pushed West Virginia's desire to seek its own strong affiliation. Pastilong mentioned the Atlantic Coast and Southeastern conferences as leagues he would like to see West Virginia join, and the Big Ten has inquired informally about WVU interest. But Pastilong conceded the odds of any of those happening are long.
He said Penn State's future - whether tenuous with the Big Ten or not - would not affect any immediate decision by West Virginia on whether to join an established conference.
"We did everything in our power to do something solid with Penn State," Pastilong said. "If Penn State said it wanted to be part of an Eastern Seaboard group, that would be something West Virginia and Pitt, especially, would have to look at very seriously. Penn State would be a very attractive member in that type of group.
"But, here at West Virginia, we are not going to pass up an opportunity to have a good association with one conference to wait and roll the dice on whether a second one will come around. Maybe all of this [Penn State's Big Ten admittance] will be strung out even longer. That's why, if we have what we think is a good situation, I think we have to look at it now."
by CNB