ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, October 30, 1996 TAG: 9610300038
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: FROM STAFF REPORTS
Virginia running back Tiki Barber, a senior from Cave Spring High School, is one of 16 scholar-athletes named to receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship by the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame.
Barber, a commerce major with a 3.361 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale, was named an Academic All-American last year as a junior. He leads the ACC in rushing, scoring and all-purpose yardage.
Barber is one of eight NCAA Division I-A players so honored, joining Florida quarterback Danny Wuerffel among others. The players will be recognized Dec.10 at a banquet at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York, where a $25,000 grant will be awarded to the top scholar-athlete.
In other sports in the region:
* The Roanoke Rush might be the first team to have the home-field advantage on the road.
The Rush will travel to Savannah, Ga., for a National Minor League Football ``home'' playoff game at 7 p.m. Saturday.
Roanoke (10-1) is the higher-seeded team based on the league's points system, but has to travel because Savannah (11-1) challenged the playoff system and refused to play the game in Roanoke.
* Former Roanoke Catholic star P.J. McCarthy scored two goals to lead Roanoke College past Washington and Lee 3-1 on Tuesday night in an Old Dominion Athletic Conference men's soccer game at the River's Edge complex.
Todd Lyons scored the third goal for the Maroons (10-3-2 overall, 7-1 conference). Mike Matechak scored for W&L.
* Roanoke Catholic participated in the Catholic schools state cross country championships in Newport News.
Maeve O'Meara led the girls' team to a sixth-place finish by placing fourth overall, with a time of 19 minutes, 40 seconds on the 3.1-mile course. Andy Wierzbic was 12th overall as the Celtic boys' team finished seventh. Both individuals were accorded all-state status.
* Marshall and Tennessee-Chattanooga are favored by league coaches to win their respective divisions in the 1996-97 Southern Conference men's basketball race.
Marshall has four starters back from last season's team and is expected to finish atop the North Division, ahead of Davidson, VMI, Appalachian State and East Tennessee State, respectively.
Tennessee-Chattanooga welcomes back all five starters, including preseason player of the year Johnny Taylor. The Moccasins are picked ahead of Western Carolina, Furman, The Citadel and Georgia Southern in the South Division.
* Tora Suber of Virginia is among the preseason favorites for the Naismith Award in women's basketball. Suber, a senior guard, is listed with Kara Wolters of Connecticut and LaKeshia Frett of Georgia for the award, which goes to the top player in the nation.
Ace Custis of Virginia Tech is listed among the men's candidates. Tim Duncan (Wake Forest), Keith Van Horn (Utah) and Jacque Vaughn (Kansas) are the front-runners for the men's award.
* Roanoke College advanced to the semifinal round of the ODAC field hockey tournament with a 4-1 victory over Bridgewater.
Senior forward Tina Boyce led the Maroons with three goals and an assist. Ali Ogelsby had a pair of assists.
* The Virginia Tech women's soccer team lost 3-0 to 22nd-ranked James Madison in Harrisonburg. The Hokies (8-9-1) close their season Saturday at St.Bonaventure.
* Virginia's Rafael Garcia is among the semifinalists for the Lou Groza Award as the nations top college kicker.
LENGTH: Medium: 68 linesby CNB