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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, May 11, 1994                   TAG: 9405110102
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-10   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: Scott Blanchard
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

TRACK TEAMS PREPARE FOR MOVED-UP METRO CONFERENCE

Metro athletic directors (Tech's Dave Braine dissented) voted to move the date up a weekend, "not to my approval,'' Tech men's coach Russ Whitenack said.

He's perturbed in part because Hokie decathlete Dave Hannett, although a few credits short of graduating, could walk in Saturday's ceremony at Tech. Instead, he'll go to New Orleans with the team. Two other members will attend graduation ceremonies, then fly to New Orleans for the three-day event.

That said, Whitenack doesn't feel less optimistic about Tech's chances. The Hokies won their second straight Metro indoor title last fall.

``Our distance runners need to outscore South Florida. Our sprinters and jumpers need to outscore Southern Mississippi and [Virginia Commonwealth]. If we can do those, we can win the meet,'' Whitenack said.

Tech's women finished fourth in the Metro indoor championships, in part because a Tech athlete was helping officiate the 20-pound weight competition. The Tech athlete wasn't competing, but other coaches complained and Tech was disqualified from the event.

``They were not accusing us, but they wanted us disqualified,'' women's coach Lori Taylor said. ``It was really a shame. The bottom line is, we would've taken four places and it would've changed the outcome of the meet tremendously.''

Taylor said that's become motivation for a young team she says has matured since the indoor season. Tech is led by sophomore hurdler Erin Graham. Others up front for Tech include freshman sprinter/jumper Detra Edumunds, sophomore distance runners Michelle Barrett and Melissa Ward and senior discus thrower Nancy Gilmore.

Taylor said it's the largest group Tech has taken to a Metro meet.

``The depth of the team, in my opinion, that's our strength now,'' she said. ``That's how we're going to hit 'em.''

Whitenack has his own list of potential scorers for the men's team, including Hannett.

``He will score in the decathlon, probably in the high hurdles and probably [run] a leg on our mile relay,'' Whitenack said.

Pole vaulter Chris Williams is a Tech star, joined by distance runner Matt Zacharias.

Whitenack said the Hokies are motivated because Tech probably will break ground on its long-awaited outdoor track in four or five months, with an expected completion date about a year after that.

``They've worked harder this year than ever before, partly because the track is becoming a reality,'' Whitenack said.