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

DATE: FRIDAY, May 14, 1993                   TAG: 9305140179
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

CONVICTION AGAINST TECH'S JOHN RIVERS ERASED

Former Virginia Tech basketball and football player John Rivers had last year's conviction on one count of assault and battery erased when the plaintiff failed to show up in Montgomery County Circuit Court for an appeal hearing Wednesday.

Rivers' appeal stemmed from the conviction last October in Montgomery County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court. He had been accused of poking a woman in the face during a dispute about money.

"The conviction won't stand," Montgomery County assistant commonwealth's attorney Skip Schwab said Thursday. "Technically, it could be re-filed within a year. But if they don't come to the court date, they usually never get back in touch with us."

Rivers' lawyer, Marc Long Jr. of Blacksburg, said: "As far as I'm concerned, it's over. The whole incident really was very minor. I'm sorry he got the notoriety."

Rivers has used up his athletic eligibility at Tech. He played his final season of football in the fall.

\ The man who has coached boys' basketball at Rural Retreat High School since 1988 will not have that job next season.

The School Board did not reappoint Quinton Hensley for the post at its meeting this week. He will continue as an assistant football coach at the school.

No reason was given for not reappointing him. All other head coaches at Wythe County schools were reappointed.

Hensley had been assistant to former head basketball coach K.W. Lawson before succeeding him when he moved to Marion. No new head coach for Rural Retreat has been chosen.

\ Carol Withus is the new men's and women's swimming and diving coach at Old Dominion, athletic director Jim Jarrett said. Withus, 29, compiled a 55-12 record as coach of the women's swimming and diving team at New York since 1987. She was Metropolitan Conference coach of the year in 1991-92, when her team posted an 8-1 mark. A native of North White Plains, N.Y., Withers broke 10 school records as an All-American swimmer at Adelphi.

\ Virginia volleyball coach Karen Uhler announced the signing of Dana Bullteman of Rialto, Calif. The 5-9 setter/hitter was the most valuable player of the Citrus Belt League for Eisenhower High School.

by CNB