ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, April 26, 1996 TAG: 9604260040
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: TECH NOTES
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
Virginia Tech is awaiting a final response from the NCAA regarding what school athletic officials call ``secondary violations'' committed by the men's basketball program.
Tech coach Bill Foster said Thursday the school discovered the ``minor'' violations in an in-house investigation that began in November, and immediately notified the NCAA.
In full cooperation with the NCAA, Tech has turned over the findings of its investigation. Included in Tech's report were detailed explanations of how the program has remedied the situation and safeguards put in place to keep it from happening again.
Foster and Sharon McCloskey, Tech's senior associate athletic director, refused to discuss specifics of the case.
However, a source in the Tech athletic department said the admitted violations involved improper travel, and stemmed from illicit transportation provided for basketball players. Included, the source said, are items such as ``taking them to the airport for a flight home.''
McCloskey, who has handled most of the paperwork on the case, said she doesn't think there's any cause for alarm.
``There was no intent, no advantage gained, and if there was a question of eligibility, that has been addressed and taken care of,'' McCloskey said. ``So there's no question I know of right away now with the whole situation.
``It's not a big thing. You see these things that are considered secondary violations. We found out we were doing this and we weren't supposed to. So we'll tell the NCAA, `This is what we've done to remedy that situation, this is what we've done to prevent it.'
``Usually, the NCAA accepts that. That's what we're hoping, but we can't say until we actually hear from them. That's what we think will happen.''
McCloskey said she will be happy to discuss specifics of the case once the school hears from the NCAA.
``I don't like to discuss specifics and tell you it's definitely a secondary violation when it's not my call,'' she said.
``The NCAA hasn't told us anything, just basically they've received the information, which would be presented the next time the infractions committee meets. We expect to hear back fairly soon, probably in the next two or three weeks.''
Typically, in such self-reported cases of ``secondary'' violations, the NCAA accepts the school's commitment to tighten its enforcement standards and doesn't issue any penalties.
Tech's men's basketball program faced the wrath of the NCAA in the late 1980s. The Hokies were placed on probation for the 1987-88 and '88-89 seasons for 13 violations committed during the regime of former coach Charlie Moir.
PIVOTAL CHECKUP: Foster, whose constant nervous stomach disorder has been well-documented the past couple of years, has made plans to undergo a thorough physical from a Miami physician-friend in mid-May.
``I'm going to get the whole deal just to make sure all the plumbing is OK,'' Foster said. ``I feel good and I'm raring to go [for next season]. I just want to make sure everything checks out.
``But if my buddy finds that something is not quite right in there, I don't know. I don't know if I'd want to press it.
``I'd come back and tell Dave [Braine, Tech's athletic director] right away. If things were so bad I couldn't come back, I don't think there'd be any problem, though. I think they could move Bobby [Hussey, a Tech assistant coach] over in this office and nobody would miss a beat.''
Foster, 60, was forced to leave the Hokies' bench several times during games in the 1994-95 season because of the stomach disorder.
``It's something I've had ever since I've been coaching,'' Foster said. ``My container [stomach] just gets all worked up ... a nervous-type thing in the heat of the game.''
Foster has agreed to a contract extension through the 1999-2000 season, but many observers don't expect him to coach that long.
``That was Dave's idea,'' Foster said then. ``I tell you, I don't know if I can make it till I'm 64.''
VIABLE CANDIDATE: Chris Ferguson, a Tech assistant since Foster was hired before the 1991-92 season, reportedly is a candidate for the head coach's vacancy at North Carolina-Asheville.
Ferguson launched his college coaching career at the Big South Conference school in 1986-87 under current Oregon coach Jerry Green. Ferguson then spent four years as an assistant at Appalachian State before joining Foster at Tech.
Ferguson was unavailable for comment Thursday, but Foster spoke up on the issue:
``I'd sure hate to lose him,'' Foster said. ``Man, that guy does a lot of things for us.''
DOMINATING FORCE: Tech's spring sports continue to excel in the school's first season of competition in the Atlantic 10 Conference.
The Hokies have captured league titles in three sports - golf, men's tennis and women's tennis.
Plus, Chuck Hartman's baseball team is leading the A-10's West Division with a league-best 13-3 record.
The Hokies will be the odds-on favorite at the A-10 tournament May 10-13 in Boyertown, Pa. The league champion receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
LENGTH: Medium: 100 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: GENE DALTON/Staff. Basketball coach Bill Foster saidby CNBThursday that Virginia Tech has notified the NCAA of some minor
rules violations. color.