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

DATE: THURSDAY, July 19, 1990                   TAG: 9007190580
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: C-4   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

ACC SET TO REOPEN EXPANSION TALKS

In February the Atlantic Coast Conference voted to maintain its eight-team membership, but talks on expansion will reopen as leagues around the country rush to recruit new schools.

Leading the expansion charge has been the Southeastern Conference, which is openly pursuing Arkansas and has contacted several other schools including South Carolina.

Meanwhile, the Metro Conference, which has decided to beat the SEC and ACC to the punch, setting an Oct. 15 deadline for a commitment from its membership and eight additional institutions on the formation of a possible 16-team superconference.

"The meeting was set up particularly to talk about expansion," North Carolina athletic director John Swofford told The Charlotte Observer on Tuesday. "This is a continuation of some of the informal talks we've been having in recent months."

ACC Commissioner Gene Corrigan is out of the country, but Swofford said the meeting in Greensboro next Wednesday will be made up of athletic directors and faculty representatives from North Carolina, North Carolina State, Duke, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Clemson, Maryland and Virginia.

One ACC candidate would be Florida State, which could also remain in the Metro or join the SEC, Swofford said.

"Florida State's in a pretty good position on all of this," he said. "They're attractive to a number of different conferences."

This week, Florida State is listening to the Metro's pitch.

"If we go forward with expansion, we hope to be reasonably focused on what schools would be realistic candidates. I believe our future is sound whether we expand or don't expand, but obviously we want to make sure we are maximizing the league's potential," Swofford said.

"My opinion is that if we expand, the league will do it on a full membership basis rather than a single sport basis. I believe it should be that way."

by CNB