Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 7, 1995 TAG: 9506070082
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Dave Braine, the Hokies' athletic director, said Tuesday ``the chances are good'' that the Hokies' Big East Conference game with Temple will be moved to Washington's RFK Stadium.
The Nov.11 game was scheduled to be played at Temple's home field, Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia.
``We're trying to work out all the details right now,'' Braine said.
The Owls, whose downtrodden program has struggled to draw fans at home, already have moved one of their '95 home dates. Temple's Sept.2 opener against Kansas State has been moved from Philadelphia to Manhattan, Kan.
``They didn't feel real comfortable about moving a conference game,'' Braine said. ``But if they can make more money moving a conference game to a neutral site they will. Obviously, it's a situation they're looking into.''
The switch to RFK would be a bonus for Tech fans. The Northern Virginia-Washington, D.C., area is home to Tech's largest alumni base.
``It would be great for our people. We should get a lot of fans in Washington,'' Braine said.
The move to the neutral site would be welcomed by the Hokies, who were facing six road games on their 11-game '95 schedule.
FACILITIES UPGRADE: Plenty of dump trucks and hard hats will roam the Tech campus in the next 12 months.
Braine said three athletic department construction projects are on the next year's agenda. The projects include a baseball press box for English Field, a complete track-and-field facility and the construction of a football administration and training facility.
``On the baseball press box, we're within 30 days of being approved and for bids to go out,'' Braine said. ``I expect to break ground sometime this summer on it. It should be complete by the start of next season.
``The track should start early in the fall, and hopefully, we'll break ground on the new football facility next spring.''
A new softball field also is scheduled to be built soon.
ACE READY: Tech basketball forward Ace Custis will be playing with some fast company this week in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Custis is to report to U.S. Olympic Training Center, where three-day trials begin Friday for the U.S. team that will compete at the World University Games in Japan in late summer.
Custis was one of 42 college players chosen to try out for the team, which is being coached by Florida's Lon Kruger.
MIXED REVIEWS: Hokies fans will cherish picking up Athlon Magazine's preseason college football issue. The publication ranked Tech 15th in the nation and picked the Hokies to win the Big East ahead of West Virginia and Miami. ... Tech failed to make The Football News' preseason Top 20, but the publication did list the Hokies among 10 ``Others To Watch'' this season. ... The Sporting News' crystal ball, however, didn't see much of Tech. TSN picked Tech fourth in the Big East behind Miami, Boston College and West Virginia, and ranked the Hokies 37th nationally.
ROUNDING THE BASES: Coach Chuck Hartman, whose baseball team finished 34-24 after losing in the Metro Conference tournament, would like to start the 1996 season now. The Hokies figure to be the favorite in their first season in the Atlantic 10 Conference.
``We have a chance to be a Top 20 club next season,'' Hartman said. ``Our program is in as good as shape as it's been in 10 years, as far as to the way the future looks.''
Tech loses only one regular - All-Metro third baseman Bo Durkac.
Josh Herman, a former William Byrd High School star, finished as the Hokies' leading hitter, at .346. Herman's 43 runs batted in ranked second to Kevin Barker's 44. Middle infielder Chad Foutz of Franklin County was among five baseball signees announced recently by Hartman.
TECH TIDBITS: Tech's potent '95 running backs corps is drawing some national acclaim. Ivan Maisel of The Sporting News recently called Tech's tailback duo of Dwayne Thomas and Ken Oxendine ``the best 1-2 tailback combination in the country.'' ... Ayisha Whitenack of Patrick Henry High School is one of nine recruits who have signed to play for the Hokies' women's soccer team.
by CNB