ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, January 18, 1997 TAG: 9701200118
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: RECRUITING
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
ANTOINE WOMACK, one of the top football prospects in Virginia, picks the Nittany Lions over UVa.
Penn State's year-long raid of Virginia football prospects resulted in another big catch when running back Antoine Womack from Hampton committed to the Nittany Lions.
Womack, from Phoebus High School, rushed for 1,611 yards this season and set a Group AAA record with 5,570 yards in his career.
Womack, rated the No.1 prospect in Virginia by The Roanoke Times, picked Penn State over Virginia.
``Penn State started in the lead,'' Phoebus coach Billy Dee said. ``Then, Virginia was in the lead for a while. If there is such a thing as a photo finish in recruiting, this was it.''
The plan was for Womack to visit Clemson this weekend and announce his decision in a news conference Tuesday; however, word of his decision leaked out Thursday.
``We sat down Wednesday and he decided on Penn State,'' Dee said. ``Later that night, he had second thoughts. When he came to school Thursday, it was Penn State again, but I felt like he needed a few more days.
``That's why I was upset to see it come out so soon in the media.''
Dee was disturbed by reports that Penn State coach Joe Paterno received a special invitation to ceremonies at which Womack's jersey was retired and that Paterno ate dinner at Dee's house.
``First of all, Antoine's number was not retired,'' Dee said. ``Coach Paterno came to visit, but [UVa] Coach [George] Welsh has been here, too. Coach Paterno did not eat at my house.''
Womack's decision followed earlier commitments to Penn State by the players ranked Nos.4 and 6 on The Roanoke Times list, defensive back James Boyd from Indian River in Chesapeake and wide receiver Bruce Branch from Huguenot High School in Richmond.
``I try to be fair with recruiters,'' Dee said. ``To be frank, my allegiance lies with what's best for Antoine. He really struggled with it. He felt he could not lose either way. I think he just felt Penn State was a better situation in the long run.
``He has aspirations of getting to the next level, not that you can't get to the next level from Virginia. Antoine was all Penn State [at first]. I took Antoine to the spring game at Penn State, but I could have gone anywhere to camp and we went to Virginia.
``I also think the world of Virginia Tech. I wanted Antoine to visit Virginia Tech. I don't know if it had anything to do with the [arrest] problems they've had down there, but he didn't schedule a trip.''
Womack is the 19th player off The Top 25 to make an oral commitment. Tyrone Robertson, a defensive tackle from George Washington High School in Danville, is the lone uncommitted player on the Top 5.
The highest-rated in-state player to commit to Tech or UVa is No.10 Chad Beasley, a lineman from Gate City who has said he will sign with the Hokies.
Virginia remains involved with running backs Yubrenal Isabelle from Bluefield, W.Va.; Dominique Stevenson from Gaffney, S.C.; Tyree Foreman from Sherwood High School in Sandy Springs, Md., and Darryl Smith from Hampton.
Tech is recruiting Isabelle, also a top prospect at linebacker. Other out-of-state prospects on Tech's list include tight end Graham Manley from Sandy Springs, Md.; nose guard Ross Mallard from Savannah, Ga., and lineman Dale Roy Stewart from Vero Beach, Fla.
The Hokies also are one of the leaders for wide receiver Adrian Pressley from Newark, Del., and Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham.
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