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

DATE: SATURDAY, September 30, 1995                   TAG: 9510030029
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Newport News Daily Press
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

SOUTHERN TALKS OF ADDING 3 STATE SCHOOLS

Southern Conference officials last week contacted William and Mary, Richmond and James Madison about exploratory talks concerning football-only membership in the league. Richmond athletic director Chuck Boone, the commissioner of the Yankee Conference, said Friday that no talks have been scheduled and that the topic is in a very preliminary discussion stage.

``We're very happy in the Yankee Conference,'' Boone said, speaking of Richmond. ``But in this climate with all the changing conference affiliations, you owe it to yourself to listen.''

W&M, Richmond and JMU are members of the Yankee Conference in football and the Colonial Athletic Association in all other sports.

In an effort to head off rumors and speculation, Boone sent a memo to other Yankee Conference athletic directors earlier this week, informing them that the three schools had been contacted.

Boone said that solidarity among the three state schools was an important consideration. He said if a move was made it likely would include all three schools.

W&M and Richmond were longtime Southern Conference members until the mid-1970s. JMU, which has fielded a football team only since 1970, moved up to I-AA in 1980. The Yankee Conference currently is the largest in Division I-AA, with 12 members split into two six-team divisions.

by CNB