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

DATE: FRIDAY, March 11, 1994                   TAG: 9403110056
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: CRANBURY, N.J.                                LENGTH: Short

ATLANTIC 10 ASKS XAVIER TO REPLACE RUTGERS, WVU

Reeling from the impending loss of Rutgers and West Virginia, the Atlantic 10 Conference voted Thursday to invite Xavier University to join the conference as a full-time member.

The vote by the board of directors was unanimous, and Xavier is expected to accept the offer. The Ohio school is now in the Midwestern Collegiate Conference.

"There is an administrative process that must be followed at Xavier and every effort will be made to expedite this process," Xavier athletic director Jeff Fogelson said. "It is our intent to bring this to closure as quickly as possible."

Atlantic 10 commissioner Ron Bertovich said he was "elated" about the prospect of adding Xavier, citing the school's academic and athletic credentials.

Rutgers and West Virginia will become full-time members of the Big East starting in the 1995-96 season. The conference Wednesday invited them to join. The two schools entered the Big East as football members in 1991 but remained with the Atlantic 10 for other sports.

by CNB