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

DATE: TUESDAY, December 14, 1993                   TAG: 9312140199
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: From staff reports
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

PIERCE CHOSEN RADFORD COACH IN VOLLEYBALL

John Pierce, a Radford native and former Virginia Tech volleyball coach, has been hired to succeed Jannell Dobbins as the volleyball coach at Radford University, the school announced Monday.

Pierce served as Virginia Tech's first volleyball coach from 1977-1991, posting a 268-244-4 record. He stepped down to concentrate on his duties as an elementary school teacher, but remained on Stephanie Hawbecker's staff as an assistant since 1991.

While coaching at Tech during the 1980s, Pierce took on the dual role of coaching volleyball at Radford High School, where he won a Group AA state championship in 1984.

Dobbins, who retired after 19 seasons, guided her team to a Big South Conference championship and an NCAA tournament appearance this season. She is Radford's all-time winningest coach in any sport with a 369-219 record.

Chris Lucas has been hired as the baseball coach at Christiansburg High School. Lucas, a former Blacksburg player who was a Christiansburg assistant coach last season, replaces Kirk Litton, who resigned last summer after winning four New River District regular season championships and two tournament titles in seven seasons.

From 1990-92, Lucas coached junior varsity baseball at Blacksburg, where his teams won two district championships.

Women's soccer players Suzanne Williams of Radford and Kim Conway of Virginia were chosen second team All-America by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

by CNB