Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, May 31, 1990 TAG: 9005310100
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Doug Doughty
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Stevens, the hero of Virginia Tech's 1973 NIT basketball championship and a former assistant coach for the Hokies, is in his second week as a full-time member of coach Steve Vacendak's staff.
Stevens, 39, had served most recently on the staff of interim Florida coach Don DeVoe, who announced late in the season that he would not be a candidate for the job on a full-time basis.
The Gators, given Top 25 consideration in some preseason polls, finished 7-21 after the departure of star players Dwayne Schintzius and Livingston Chatman. Longtime coach Norm Sloan had resigned under pressure shortly before the season.
"I do feel a lot better for the experience because we had to reach deep down in the coaching bag," Stevens said. "Don could have sat back, drawn his paycheck and said, `I'm not involved,' but there were seven more games we could have won and we didn't have a center or power forward."
Stevens, who left Tech when Charlie Moir resigned before the 1987-88 season, was coaching at Norfolk Catholic when the call came from DeVoe, who had been Stevens' coach at Tech.
"It was frustrating in terms of the kids quitting the team," Stevens said, "but the kids who remained were dynamite."
Although DeVoe announced his intentions before the end of the season, Stevens did not start looking for a job until the Final Four in early April. He settled with Vacendak, who was a collegiate star at Duke when Stevens attended the Blue Devils' camp.
"Anybody in athletics is a survivor," Stevens said. "That's life. The '80s were a struggle for me personally and professionally, but I like the way the '90s are looking. I'm working for a great guy in a great place to raise a family [Rock Hill, S.C.], and our facility is second to none at this level."
One of Stevens' college teammates, Allan Bristow, is 20 miles up the road in Charlotte, N.C., as the new general manager of the Hornets.
Stevens, who began his coaching career under DeVoe at Tennessee, said he feels no pressure to become a head coach.
"There was a time when I was eager to be a head coach," he said. "I don't think about it anymore. A lot of the time it's who you know, not what you know. Furman wouldn't take a chance on Roy Williams, then Dean [Smith] got on the phone and Roy wound up at Kansas.
"Being a head coach would be nice. I'll be a head coach one day, but I'm not hung up with any timetable."
\ Michael Tate, who earlier announced plans to leave Georgetown, has become the latest former high school All-American to seek his fortune at James Madison. Steve Hood and Fess Irvin started for the Dukes this past season after transferring from Maryland and Louisiana State, respectively.
Newcomers accounted for 68.7 percent of JMU's minutes played and 70.6 percent of the Dukes' scoring this past season. In addition to Hood and Irvin, the Dukes had three junior-college transfers and one freshman.
\ Virginia basketball player John Crotty, weakened by the extraction of four wisdom teeth, declined an invitation to try out for the team that will represent the United States in the Goodwill Games and World Championships.
\ One-time Pulaski County basketball star Mike Porter has surfaced with the Youngstown Pride of the World Basketball League, which features players 6-feet-5 and under. Porter began his college career at San Jacinto (Texas) College before spending one year in the backcourt at St. John's.
\ Ben Barnett, from William Fleming High in Roanoke, was one of two senior athletes - and the only male athlete - to receive the Army Athletic Association Award for most valuable service to athletics during his career as a cadet. Barnett, captain of Army's football team, suffered a career-ending knee injury in the sixth game of the 1989 season.
\ North Carolina sophomore Rebecca Russell, from Fancy Gap, broke a school record and qualified for the NCAA outdoor track and field championships with a time of 2:04.66 for 800 meters, an event she did not run in high school at Carroll County.
Russell, who had won the junior national 400-meter championship last summer, already has earned All-America honors indoors and outdoors as a member of the Tar Heels' 1,600 relay team. Coach Dennis Craddock said he thinks Russell can run under 2:00 for 800 meters by the end of her college career.
\ Virginia football star and high-jumper Herman Moore qualified for the NCAA track and field championships when he cleared 7-2 1/4 at the East Tennessee Last Chance Meet this past weekend. Moore will be joined by these UVa performers: junior Ben Kurgat in the 800 meters; junior Dana Boone in the triple jump and long jump, and freshman Claire Forbes in the 1,500 meters.
\ UVa lacrosse coach Jim Adams, who recently turned 62, says he would like to coach another three years.
"At one point, I thought I'd get out before this," Adams said, "but I'm very encouraged about next year and the years ahead."
Adams and assistant Mike Caravana, who is going to Denison as head coach, signed players who are among the best in the country at four positions: goalie James Ireland from Garden City, N.Y.; attackman Kasey Gordon and midfielder Andrew Dausch from Gilman High in Baltimore, and defenseman Craig Ronald from Loyola High in Baltimore.
\ All-Group AA football selections Vinnie Guerra and Jerome Trussell of Blacksburg High will play for Ferrum and Liberty, respectively. A total of eight Indians intend to play college football, including linebacker and punter Mark Mathena (Virginia Tech), defensive end Nathan Drowne (West Virginia Wesleyan), quarterback Brian Crist (Hampden-Sydney), linebacker Matt Ankrum (VMI), defensive end David Yoder (Navy) and lineman Todd Lytton (Gardner-Webb).
\ VMI has added a late football recruit, defensive back Chris Sifford (6-0, 185) from Salisbury, N.C., by way of Fork Union Military Academy. Sifford originally had signed with N.C. State on the condition that a scholarship became available, but the Wolfpack is at its limit.
Lee Holdren, an All-Blue Ridge District offensive tackle for Staunton River, has joined the two-year program at Chowan College in Murfreesboro, N.C. Holdren, a 6-1, 236-pounder, played offense and defense for the Golden Eagles.
by CNB