ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, January 23, 1997 TAG: 9701230021
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DANIEL UTHMAN STAFF WRITER
With hopes of returning to VMI, departed Keydets basketball players Brent Conley and Andre Quarles have enrolled at other colleges.
Conley is taking a history course at West Virginia Tech in Montgomery, W.Va., and Quarles is enrolled in two classes at Piedmont Virginia Community College near Charlottesville.
Conley and Quarles left VMI on Jan.13 after being suspended for a year for accumulating excessive demerits. It was a non-academic school suspension, but both are enrolled in classes to get a jump on the 36 hours each must have toward graduation before the start of the 1997-98 academic year.
Quarles already has appealed the suspension, and Conley's appeal will be heard today. Following his appeal, Quarles' suspension was reduced to six months, opening the door for his return to VMI as early as August.
Reached at his home in Fayetteville, W.Va., on Wednesday, Conley said he also is trying to have his suspension reduced to six months.
At the time of his departure, Conley was leading the Keydets with averages of 17.3 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. Quarles was averaging 6.9 points and led VMI with 3.2 assists per game.
Conley, the 1995-96 Southern Conference Freshman of the Year, said he hasn't talked to coaches from any other schools about a possible transfer, and added he doesn't plan to do so. Other coaches are not allowed, under NCAA rules, to contact players who are out of school but still on scholarship.
``I'm pretty sure I'm going back to VMI,'' Conley said. ``I wish I was still there. I miss playing basketball. You'll see me again next season.''
LENGTH: Short : 36 linesby CNB