THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 23, 1996 TAG: 9608230299
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY REA FARMER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 39 lines
Two years ago, Matt Whalen dominated area high school soccer matchups, intimidating opponents with his size and power.
Thursday night, the former Cox operative returned to Hampton Roadsas a standout forward for Virginia Tech, which faced Old Dominion in a preseason exhibition match.
The Monarchs won 2-1, with freshman James Tanner scoring ODU's goals two minutes apart in the first half after Tech's Bobby Warwick opened the scoring on a breakaway eight minutes in.
Whalen is coming off a stellar freshman season in which he earned second-team All-Atlantic 10 honors. He started all 19 matches for the Hokies and netted seven goals and six assists.
``It was different stepping in as a freshman,'' he said. ``We were a young team, so a lot of other people were in the same shoes as me.''
Whalen's shoes were just bigger and more daunting. The 6-foot-5, 195-pounder was one of the most heavily recruited players to emerge from Hampton Roads. An All-Tidewater Player of the Year, he decided to pursue his academic, not his athletic, goals.
``I'm an architecture major,'' he said. ``That's my full-time job.''
The Hokies went 8-10-2 last season, 6-3-2 in the Atlantic 10. Whalen hopes to boost the record and capture a league championship.
``The team, I think, is right up there in the conference,'' he said.
Whalen is tight-lipped about his personal aspirations. However, continued success could turn his head, at least for a moment, from architecture to professional soccer.
``Since the MLS, I have thought about it,'' he said. ``I'll see how it goes.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Former Cox High standout Matt Whalen earned second-team All-Atlantic
10 honors as a Tech freshman. by CNB