Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, September 8, 1994 TAG: 9409080060
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Doug Doughty
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
The Hokies, who were at the 13-scholarship NCAA limit when school ended, gained two grants when Delwyn Dillard and Dwayne Archbold decided to transfer. One of the scholarships has been awarded to Troy Manns, a transfer from George Mason.
Manns, a former All-Group AAA selection at Patrick Henry in Roanoke, was to have received the first scholarship that came available following the 1994-95 season. However, he has made a strong first impression with his future teammates and the Tech staff, which decided to reward him at this point.
``All the kids keep telling us they like him; they like the way he plays,'' Tech coach Bill Foster said. ``That's a good sign when the kids like him. If we only had one scholarship, we would have been a little reluctant to do something, but we weren't going to give two scholarships anyway.''
The addition of Manns, who has two years of eligibility starting with the 1995-96 season, relieves any immediate need for a point guard. Foster said the Hokies will be looking for the best available player at any of the other four spots.
``You tend to know your needs better in the spring,'' Foster said. ``We'll recruit a limited number of kids in the fall, but only kids we know can help us. We'll visit about a dozen kids in all. If we had stayed where we were [with 13 grants], we might not have gone out at all.''
Foster said he felt Dillard and Archbold could find more playing time elsewhere but did not rule out the possibility of Dillard transferring back to Tech from Allegany (Md.) Community College, although that would appear unlikely.
Virginia coach Jeff Jones said Wednesday that he had six scholarships, then, upon closer consideration, confirmed that he had seven. Jones expects standout guard Cory Alexander to announce before the season that he will turn pro in the spring.
``At one point, I was thinking we would sign three,'' Jones said. ``As I look at it now, I'm thinking more in terms of four - a point guard, a wing player and two big guys. The other possibility is that we'll bring in a fifth player with an eye toward redshirting him.''
UVa appears to the team to beat for in-state big men Reggie Bassette from Highland Springs and Cal Bowdler from Rappahannock. Bassette, who has emerged as one of the nation's most promising shot-blockers, wants to major in music and also is considering Tech, Wake Forest, Minnesota and several Colonial Athletic Association schools.
LIMITED CLEARANCE: Foster said doctors have given forward-guard Jim Jackson, plagued by back problems, their approval to begin light workouts.
``That's a little better than what we were thinking,'' Foster said. ``He looked like an automatic sit-out there for a while. We'd pretty much written him off at mid-summer.''
DEACONS GET QB: The New York Mets' loss was Wake Forest's gain when Brian Kuklick began school last week. Kuklick reportedly turned down a $300,000 signing bonus from the Mets, who selected him in the fifth round of the June free-agent draft.
Football coach Jim Caldwell was on hand to watch Kuklick begin classes, a process that made him unavailable to professional baseball for three years. Kuklick, a quarterback hopeful, accepted a football scholarship to Wake with the understanding that he could pitch for the Deacons' baseball team.
IN THE ACC: John Lewis, who emerged as Wake Forest's top tailback during preseason practice, suffered a broken ankle in a 35-14 loss to Vanderbilt and will be lost for the season. ... Defense-poor Maryland has lost three defensive linemen to academics, including starting tackle Johnnie Hicks, and a fourth was dismissed from the team.
BRILL CURSE: Florida State football coach Bobby Bowden, who underwent disc surgery in August, sat on a bar stool during the closing minutes of the Seminoles' game with Virginia. Bowden injured his back while playing golf with former Roanoke Times & World-News executive sports editor Bill Brill, presumably when Brill was talking during his backswing.
IN THE BIG EAST: University of Miami quarterback Chris Walsh, who was national player of the year when he was in high school, will transfer to Minnesota. Walsh, brother of Chicago Bears and former Hurricanes quarterback Steve Walsh, had developed a ``hitch'' in his delivery and fallen to fourth string
SHUCK IN LUCK: Jim Shuck, ousted as VMI football coach after the 1993 season, left Lexington two weeks ago for Somerset, Ky., where he has taken a job as a sales representative for a pharmaceutical firm. Shuck, who signed a two-year contract extension before the 1993 season, received a $117,000 settlement from VMI.
NON-REVENUE: Mike Slivinski, top returning scorer for Virginia's soccer team, plans to return in 1995 after losing an appeal to regain his eligibility. Slivinski was eligible under NCAA standards but ran afoul of Transition Program coordinator Valdrie Walker, who earlier had dismissed football recruit Tyrone McGill.
Amanda Yelsh, a senior volleyball player from Wilmington, Del., set a Virginia Tech record for hitting percentage when she had 11 kills in 14 attempts Tuesday night as the Hokies took three of four games from Liberty.
by CNB