Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 17, 1991 TAG: 9104170053
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
"Where I wanted to go came and went," Ginnie Gillen told Cincinnati columnist Paul Daugherty. "Peter always said, `If Terry Holland ever leaves [Virginia], I'll try for that job.' When it opened up and they called Peter, I said, `I guess we're going.' "
However, after meeting with UVa athletic director Jim Copeland at the Pittsburgh airport, Gillen announced he would remain at Xavier. Gillen remained steadfast when, after going to Japan to coach in an all-star game, he was approached by Copeland again.
"If they had brought him to Charlottesville and interviewed him there, he would have taken it," Gillen's wife said. "He felt like, `If you want me, don't say you're going to interview five other people.' I was really surprised when he turned it down."
\ Virginia point guard John Crotty was one of 37 college seniors invited to Orlando, Fla., this past weekend for a series of all-star games.
Crotty was not on the original invitation list for Orlando, but he played well enough at the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament to get a second look.
Underclassmen were not invited to the Orlando camp and some seniors declined an invitation, but Crotty at least is under consideration as one of 54 players who will be selected in the NBA's free-agent draft.
Crotty was the fourth player chosen Tuesday in the United States Basketball League draft. Crotty was drafted by Atlanta, a new franchise in the USBL, which plays in June and July.
\ Colorado standout Shaun Vandiver, selected most valuable player at the Orlando All-Star Classic, was tentatively set to sign with Virginia in 1988 until he was rejected by the admissions department. Admissions officials also turned down Cincinnati transfer Marty Dow, who averaged 17 points and 9.5 rebounds this year at San Diego State.
\ Two-time All-ACC selection Bryant Stith was not among 66 college basketball players who received invitations to the Pan American Games trials, apparently because he let it be known he wanted to spend his summer otherwise.
Stith played on the team that represented the United States in the Goodwill Games and the World Basketball Championships, but he showed signs of fatigue late in Virginia's season and was 27-of-82 from the field in UVa's last five games.
Coach Jeff Jones said he was asked to fill out an application form and, when he didn't return it, received a call inquiring of Stith's interest.
\ Virginia basketball signee Junior Burrough from Oak Hill Academy remains 10 points short of the required 700 on the Scholastic Aptitude Test and is signed up to take the exam again in May and June. The May test will be the first opportunity Burrough has had to take the test at Oak Hill.
\ Improved pitching is a big reason Virginia's baseball team has a 20-18-2 record, which is a vast improvement over the Cavaliers' 13-25-1 mark last year at the same stage.
UVa has lowered its earned-run average from 7.42 at the end of last season to 4.71, with an average of nearly one strikeout per inning. Junior left-hander Todd Fiegel, plagued by injuries earlier in his career, has 79 strikeouts in 54 innings.
Former starter Todd Ruyak is 3-0 with five saves. A third-year left-hander, Ruyak has 37 strikeouts in 23 innings.
The surprise of the team may be set-up man Kevin Stock, who not only is 2-2 with a 2.18 ERA but has batted .360, second on the team, as a designated hitter. Stock, a junior, did not have an at-bat in 1990.
\ The Virginia women's lacrosse team, bidding to become the sixth UVa team to be ranked No. 1 in the nation this year, remained No. 2 this week. Top-ranked Penn State lost to Lafayette last week; however, Penn State defeated UVa 10-9 earlier in the season.
by CNB