Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 15, 1992 TAG: 9201150005
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-11 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
WITH MONEY HALF IN, OUTDOOR TRACK COULD BE ON MARK THIS YEAR
An outdoor track, a top priority for Virginia Tech's athletic program, could be under construction this year.However, Tech probably will have to wait at least until 1993 before it can boast of a facility it has lacked since 1985.
Tech assistant athletic director Don Perry said the state government has approved the school's plan to build the facility sometime between 1992 and 1994. Perry said work is on hold until Tech's $17 million fund-raising campaign for athletics has enough money in hand to put toward a track.
Mike Carroll, Tech's director of development for athletic programs, said about half the funds necessary for the track have been committed. As for the rest, he said, "We feel pretty good about the project."
Carroll said he doesn't foresee any funding hangups that would push track construction past 1994.
"It would be exciting if we could get it under construction in '92, but that would be a push," Perry said.
Perry said the track will be built where Tech's baseball diamond used to be, between the Jamerson Athletic Center and Lane Stadium. A grass soccer field will be encircled by the eight-lane track and there will be seating for 1,000. The current plan does not call for a "bubble" roof over the track, something Tech track coach Russ Whitenack has said he'd like to see.
In 1985, the Hokies' outdoor track was removed to make room for the new baseball field. Whitenack has said the Hokies need an outdoor track for his program to prosper, and an outdoor track can help other sports such as football recruit players who want to participate in both sports.
Another new facility built with money from the university's fund-raising drive is about finished. Perry said the new tennis pavilion is scheduled to be "substantially completed" by Saturday.
The first match will be in February. Tech is scheduled to host the 1993 Metro Conference tennis tournament in the new facility.
Tech launched the $17 million drive in January 1990 and hoped to meet its goal by January 1993. Carroll said the campaign already has collected $13,685,000, more than 80 percent of its goal.
Virginia Tech's women's basketball team is 5-6 overall and 0-1 in the Metro Conference as it prepares for two straight league games at home Jan. 18 and 20.
Contributions from the freshmen continue. In a loss at Youngstown State, first-year center Jenny Root had 26 points and eight rebounds. Root is Tech's fourth-leading scorer despite having started only one game.
Rookies Root, Christi Osborne and Angela Donnell have combined to average 21.7 points and 13.3 rebounds per game.
Tech's wrestling team is 4-2 overall and 1-0 in the Colonial Athletic Association, in which it competes because the Metro Conference has no wrestling circuit.
Heavyweight Josh Feldman has been the most successful, going 12-2 in overall matches, including a first place at the James Madison Invitational.
The Hokies travel to the Virginia State Championships Jan. 18-19 in Lexington.
The men's swimming team is 5-3 and the women are 3-5. Both are scheduled to participate in the National Independent Championships at Monroe, La., Feb. 19-22.
Scott Blanchard covers Virginia Tech sports for the Roanoke Times & World-News.