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

DATE: Tuesday, July 12, 1994                 TAG: 9407120415
SECTION: SPORTS                   PAGE: C5   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER 
                                             LENGTH: Short :   49 lines

TECH NOT BITTER ABOUT IRISH JOINING BIG EAST SNUBBED IN SPRING, HOKIES HOPE ODD NUMBER OF SCHOOLS IS TICKET TO LEAGUE.

Virginia Tech wanted in but got its heart ripped out. Notre Dame got in, and Tech is heartened.

The Hokies were aghast when they were denied full membership in the Big East Conference this spring. They remain a football-only member of the league. Monday, Notre Dame officially became an every-sport-but-football member of the Big East.

But if there are hard feelings in Blacksburg, they aren't part of Tech's official reaction to the news.

``Any conference that can get Notre Dame certainly would do it,'' said Virginia Tech associate athletic director Danny Monk, speaking in place of vacationing AD Dave Braine. ``We certainly don't have any animosity at all toward the league about Notre Dame coming in and us not being in. We think it's a big plus for the Big East, and it could be a big plus for Virginia Tech down the road.''

Monk said news of the league embracing Notre Dame, effective a year from now, came as no surprise. He speculated that the Big East ultimately will expand again.

The league has eight members - including Tech - for football and 13 members - including Notre Dame and excluding Tech - as an all-sports league.

``It puts the Big East at an odd number,'' Monk said. ``We feel that's probably not something they want to deal with. It's not good for tournament play. It may speed up the process of going to 14 teams, and maybe that will include us.''

Temple, a football-playing league member, also was denied full membership by the presidents' vote in March.

Divisional play for basketball and other sports besides football probably will be introduced.

``There are not many conferences in the country that have an odd number,'' Monk said. ``(Braine) seems to feel good that we're in the right place and eventually it will all get put together for us.''

However, Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese did not indicate that was a possibility in a conference call with reporters Monday.

``There is no conversation about anybody becoming No. 14,'' Tranghese said. ``We're staying at 13 for the foreseeable future. Our basketball schools have no desire to move to 14.'' by CNB