Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 7, 1993 TAG: 9303070148
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
COLONIAL'S ODU, JMU, RICHMOND STAYING PUT
Apparently, the Colonial Athletic Association is suddenly one big happy family.If recent reports that CAA members Old Dominion, James Madison and Richmond were interested in the Atlantic 10 were true, they're history now. So said CAA commissioner Tom Yeager on Saturday at the conference basketball tournament.
At a league meeting Friday, all eight CAA member schools "reaffirmed their commitment to remain in the CAA and to strengthen the athletic programs of member schools," Yeager said in a statement.
Goals adopted by the conference at a Friday meeting include enhancing future basketball schedules (with attractive non-conference games), seeking more and broader TV coverage and exploring expansion into stronger media markets.
Yeager said that several times during the meeting, athletic directors left the room to call university presidents on the CAA's future commitment.
The A-10, which will regain Duquesne from the Midwestern Collegiate Conference as a ninth member next season, is considering an expansion to 12 schools. Besides the three CAA members, LaSalle, Xavier (also in the MCC) and Virginia Commonwealth are most often mentioned as possible expansion schools.
LaSalle athletic director Robert Mullen has said that if the MCC, having lost Duquesne, doesn't get another Eastern school for next year, the Explorers will move.
The CAA is interested in LaSalle. Delaware also has been mentioned as a possible target. Some in the CAA think that if the Metro Conference fractured, Virginia Tech, VCU and UNC Charlotte would be good CAA fits, too.
"Before you can talk about that, the first step is, `Who's in your league?' " Yeager said. "Anybody who is interested in even considering that, that's the first question.
"I think we've answered that with this commitment by our members. We kind of had a big group hug."
Yeager said he believes the CAA has "made a big leap in credibility this year," citing the conference's improved power rating in men's basketball and the possibility that it might be able to secure an at-large bid to the NCAA for the first time since 1986.
The CAA commissioner said the league "would love to have Virginia Tech take a look at it, and they know that." Some CAA members would like a Tech-VCU package, putting seven of the state's 11 Division I basketball programs in the league.
Another CAA source said the league has been told by Tech officials that if the seven-team Metro were to fold - and it reportedly is considering expansion, too - the Hokies have told the Atlantic 10 they would join that conference.