Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 20, 1991 TAG: 9103200095
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Also, a source familiar with Tech's coaching search said Braine has talked with Murray State coach Steve Newton about the job, which opened when Tech moved Frankie Allen into an administrative position last Wednesday.
Kansas athletic director Bob Frederick said Braine told him of Tech's interest in the Jayhawks' third-year assistant last week as Kansas was playing in the NCAA Tournament in Louisville. Frederick said Braine was in Louisville on Saturday and spoke to Green then.
"They've certainly talked, but I don't know the depth of that," Frederick said. "I think Jerry wants to wait until we're finished [playing]."
Kansas faces Indiana in a NCAA Southeast Regional semifinal game Thursday in Charlotte.
Green, 47, spent nine years as coach of North Carolina-Asheville, which was an NAIA program when he arrived and a Division I program when he left to become the top assistant to Dean Smith protege Roy Williams at Kansas. Green was 150-108 at UNC-Asheville.
Newton could not be reached for comment Tuesday. Murray State athletic director Michael Strickland said Tech has not called him about its interest in the Racers' sixth-year coach, who has a 114-63 record and has been to the NCAA Tournament three times in the last four years.
"I'd be real disappointed if anybody from Tech is talking to Steve Newton without calling me," Strickland said Tuesday.
Of the other coaches regarded as targets for Tech - Bowling Green's Jim Larranaga, Tennessee-Chattanooga's Mack McCarthy, Furman's Butch Estes and VMI's Joe Cantafio - none apparently has been contacted by Braine. Larranaga, McCarthy and Estes could not be reached for comment Tuesday, but their respective athletic directors said Braine has not called.
Cantafio said Tuesday that Braine hadn't been in touch. Cantafio is 59-84 in five years at VMI but is the third-winningest coach in Keydets history.
Tennessee-Chattanooga athletic director Ed Farrell said because McCarthy is a Tech graduate and well-known in Blacksburg, Braine might not need to talk with him before formally interviewing him.
"I think they can make that decision [whether or not to interview McCarthy] without going into a lot of the exploration," Farrell said.
Two other coaches expressed interest in the Tech job on Tuesday: Towson State's Terry Truax and Coastal Carolina's Russ Bergman.
Truax is 109-126 in eight years at Towson State, including 56-34 in the last three years. He has taken the Tigers to the NCAA Tournament the past two years. He said he has called Braine and hopes Tech's athletic director will be in touch.
Bergman is 256-205 in 16 years at Coastal Carolina, a Big South Conference school that was an NAIA school when Bergman took over and has been in Division I for the last five years. The Chanticleers were ousted by Indiana in the NCAA Tournament's first round last week.
Bergman said no one from Tech has contacted him.
"In my opinion, no question I think Virginia Tech's a good situation," Bergman said. "It's a great area to recruit to, a great league."
by CNB