ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, September 19, 1996 TAG: 9609190030
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: COLLEGE NOTEBOOK
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY
Virginia Tech's success in the Big East Football Conference has been accompanied by a push into traditional Big East recruiting areas.
Tech's fifth oral commitment of the fall is from Ron Cook, a 6-foot-3, 215-pound linebacker from Montclair, N.J., who was recruited for the Hokies by first-year assistant Jim Cavanaugh.
The Hokies signed three players from New Jersey this year and have landed eight players from Pennsylvania the past two seasons.
Miami (Fla.) had made an inquiry about Cook, who was being recruited primarily by Tech, Wake Forest and Rutgers.
``They were the first [Division I-A program] to offer him,'' Montclair coach Ed Lebida said of the Hokies. ``Tech was one of my son's choices for colleges, so we knew it was a strong academic school.''
Cook has a ``B'' average and scored close to 1,000 on the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT).
``He's a very committed athlete,'' Lebida said. ``In a two-hour practice, he'll give you three hours of effort. I wouldn't say he has great speed - it's around 4.7 in the 40 - but he's got outstanding quickness.''
MORE RECRUITING: Virginia Tech is the latest school in the running for 6-5, 250-pound James Lomax, a rapidly improving tight end and defensive end from Brookville High School. Lomax said Virginia and Tech are the schools to beat, with Wake Forest and Pittsburgh also on his list.
Wide receiver Bruce Branch from Huguenot High School in Richmond postponed a scheduled Sept.6 announcement at which he was to reveal his college choice. Penn State is considered the front-runner for Branch, who wants to take the SAT before announcing his college destination.
The uncertain future of Pittsburgh football coach Johnny Major has not prevented the Panthers from getting five oral commitments, two from players ranked among the top 15 prospects in Pennsylvania: offensive lineman Marty Bibla and wide receiver Quentin Harris.
Josh McMillen, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound linebacker, has joined Morgantown (W.Va.) High School teammate John Yura in committing to West Virginia. The Mountaineers also have a commitment from Brian Lewis, a 6-3, 205-pound quarterback from Shadyside, Ohio.
The mother of former Parade All-America quarterback Bobby Sabelhaus said the family was contacted Monday by Virginia quarterbacks coach Joe Krivak. Sabelhaus, who left Florida after one season, was a high-school teammate of Virginia defensive back Dwayne Stukes.
OPEN DATE HELPS Maryland, idle this week, hopes to have quarterback Brian Cummings available when it visits West Virginia on Sept.28. Cummings missed the final three quarters of a 21-3 loss to Virginia after suffering a slight separation of his right (throwing) shoulder.
BRIDGEWATER BUILDING: Bridgewater, which entered the season on a 24-game winless streak, has won consecutive road games for the first time in school history and is off to its first 2-0 start since 1980. The Eagles, coached by ex-Virginia Tech and VMI assistant Mike Clark, visit Emory & Henry this week.
SLIMMED DOWN: Virginia Tech men's basketball coach Bill Foster said he has received good reports on Shawn Smith, who lost 15 pounds before joining a professional team in Iceland.
``I said to him, `Smitty, you sucker, you'd never do that for me,''' said Foster, who once accused Smith of eating ``too many Little Debbie cakes'' when the forward's weight ballooned to 270 in 1994.
Foster also reported 1995-96 starting center Travis Jackson has returned to Blacksburg after spending five days with a professional team in Slovenia. Jackson said he was told he wasn't an ``inside presence'' despite scoring 20 points per game.
HOOPS RECRUITING: Virginia Commonwealth has received a commitment from one of the state's top men's basketball recruits, point guard Lamar Taylor from John Marshall High School in Richmond. Virginia, Tennessee and California were among the schools interested in Taylor.
Michael Williams, a point guard from Thomasville, Ga., announced he will sign with Old Dominion for the second consecutive year after enrolling at Hargrave Military Academy. ... VCU has lost one of its 1995-96 signees, Randy Mills, who did not complete his degree requirements at Hagerstown (Md.) Junior College.
Chalois Lias, the top women's basketball prospect in Virginia, has plans to visit Virginia, North Carolina, North Carolina State and Connecticut. Lias was a first-team All-Group AAA choice last year for Menchville High School in Newport News.
NON-REVENUE: Virginia golf coach Mike Moraghan thinks the Cavalier Classic this weekend might have the best field for a college tournament this fall. Virginia Tech joins seven ACC schools in a 10-team field that includes Florida, which returns U.S. Amateur finalist Steve Scott and semifinalist Robert Floyd.
ACC commissioner Gene Corrigan will return to Washington and Lee this week as the featured speaker at a banquet commemorating the Generals' 50th season of intercollegiate soccer. Corrigan, once the Generals' athletic director, coached soccer at W&L from 1955-57.
WARE HONORED: Lanetta Ware from Hollins College is among the second class of inductees into the Virginia Lacrosse Hall of Fame. Ware coached lacrosse at Hollins from 1962-84 and is a nationally known official and rules expert. Other inductees include former Washington and Lee All-Americans Ted Bauer, Skeet Chadwick and Skip Lichtfuss.
LENGTH: Medium: 96 linesby CNB