Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, November 24, 1993 TAG: 9311240035
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-6 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR.
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Wilkey, a 5-foot-7 senior guard, is one of the early favorites to win the Big South Conference's player of the year award, an honor that has lived in Radford for the past two years.
If she gets it, she would follow Tammie Crown (last year's winner) and Patrinda Toney (co-winner two years ago) in becoming the third straight Radford player to win the honor.
"I'm not looking for any of that," said Wilkey, a native of Edinboro, Pa. "A lot of people have questioned me about that [player of the year], but it's not something I think about."
That's because Wilkey has her sights set on keeping another title in Radford - the Big South championship. If Radford can win its fifth straight tournament title, the Highlanders would earn the league's first automatic berth into the women's NCAA tournament.
"The only thing on my mind is get to the NCAA tournament," Wilkey said. "First, we have to win the Big South."
Radford did that last year, thanks to a fabulous performance from Wilkey, who was named the tourney's Most Valuable Player. In three tournament games, she averaged 18.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.0 steals and 2.3 assists as Radford knocked off top-seeded UNC Greensboro in the finals.
"I think, without question, she's the best player in the league," said Radford head coach Lubomyr Lichonczak. "She proved it on the court against everyone in the conference for an entire week."
Wilkey, who is sixth on Radford's all-time scoring list with 1,074 points, was named first-team all-conference last year after leading the Big South with a scoring average of 17.3 points per game. She was ranked in the top eight in steals (2.0 per game), field-goal percentage (42.7 percent) and free-throw percentage (82.8 percent).
Wilkey is also one of the best-conditioned players in the league. She keeps her own rigorous training regimen by working out in the weight room and running up to five miles a day.
"I make it a point not to get out of shape," she said.
She's so well-conditioned, she plans on running cross country next year as a fifth-year senior after her basketball career is over.
"I'm very competitive," Wilkey said. "Whether it's a warm-up jog or whatever, I always want to finish first."
\ BASEBALL PROSPECTS: For the second straight year, the baseball team signed one of the best players in the Roanoke Valley. Glenvar's Jason Anderson chose the Highlanders over Virginia Tech and James Madison.
Anderson, a hard-throwing left-hander who is considered one of the best pitchers in Southwest Virginia, will rejoin former American Legion teammate Kelly Dampeer at Radford. Dampeer, a freshman who was a three-sport star at Northside, was the Highlanders' top signee last spring and will compete for the shortstop job this season.
The Highlanders also signed right-handed pitcher J.W. Salyers of Pound and infielder Brian Elms of Suffolk last week.
\ RECRUITING: As expected, the men's basketball team capped the early recruiting period by signing 6-foot-9 Eric Parker of Decatur, Ga., and 6-foot-7 Kevin Robinson of Richmond, leaving two scholarships available for the late signing period. Jared Stinson, a guard from Hyattsville, Md., who was the only other player to visit campus this fall, committed to Manhattan. ... The women's basketball team filled all its available scholarships for next year by signing 6-0 Rebecca McNeil of Christiansburg, 5-7 Wilma Walton of Wheeling, W.Va., 6-2 DeDe Logemann of Fullerton, Cal., and 5-4 Candice Miles from Bladensburg, Md.
\ IN RADFORD: Men's basketball, Nov. 27, Cabrini College, 7:30 p.m.; Dec. 4, Bethany College, 7:30 p.m.; Dec. 6, George Mason, 7 p.m. Women's basketball, Nov. 27, Appalachian State, 2:30 p.m.
Ralph Berrier Jr. covers sports for the Roanoke Times & World-News' New River Valley bureau.
by CNB