
                         THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
                 Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, June 17, 1994                    TAG: 9406170707 
SECTION: SPORTS                     PAGE: C3    EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: 940617                                 LENGTH: Medium

KNIGHT: PRO BASEBALL AND COLLEGE FOOTBALL

{LEAD} William and Mary quarterback Shawn Knight has agreed to a deal with the San Diego Padres in which he will begin his pro baseball career this summer and return to play his final season of college football in the fall.

``It was very important to me to return and play football this fall at William and Mary,'' Knight said. ``But pursuing my baseball career, which is where I think my professional future is, is important as well.''

{REST} Knight, who was selected by the Padres in the 13th round of pro baseball's amateur draft two weeks ago, agreed to terms with the Padres Thursday and will report this weekend to the Spokane (Wash.) Indians, the short-season Class-A minor league affiliate of the Padres.

Terms of the agreement were not made public.

Knight, who has played shortstop throughout his high school and college careers at Norfolk's Maury High and William and Mary, will play second base for Spokane.

``I haven't played second a lot, but I've very excited to get started,'' Knight said.

Knight, who was drafted in the 54th round last year by the Chicago Cubs, hit .295 for William and Mary this season while scoring 51 runs and stealing 23 bases.

William and Mary, a perennial Division I-AA top-20 football program, finished 9-3 last season and made the Division I-AA 16-team playoffs with Knight at quarterback. Knight, meanwhile, set an NCAA Division I-AA record for passing efficiency (204.6 rating).

Knight passed for 2,035 yards and 22 touchdowns, completing 69.4 percent of his passes while being intercepted only four times. He also ran for 311 yards and five touchdowns.

William and Mary football coach Jimmy Laycock expressed relief over the agreement.

``I said all along that I hoped it worked out for Shawn's best interests,'' Laycock said.

``We've had a number of conversations about it and what he was going to do. I'm happy for Shawn, his family and our football team.''

While the Spokane Indians' season runs through August, Knight will cut the season short, returning with the football team's veterans on Aug. 10 as they prepare for their season opener at Rhode Island Sept. 3.

``I know what Shawn's done in the past and he won't be reporting to fall practice with something to prove,'' Laycock said.

``He'll be reporting with the intentions of getting himself ready for our opener.''

by CNB