Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 27, 1992 TAG: 9202270058
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Doug Doughty
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
ONCE AGAIN, VIRGINIA DECIDES NOT TO HIRE PARKHILL
For the second year in a row, Virginia has turned its back on Barry Parkhill, universally credited with turning around UVa's men's basketball fortunes in the early 1970s.Parkhill was contacted about a fund-raising position in the Virginia Student Aid Foundation that will be filled by Dirk Katstra, a former UVa basketball player and 1991 UVa graduate.
"After all was said and done, I was told I was overqualified, had too much talent and that it was an entry-level position," said Parkhill, who was interviewed by Lawson Drinkard, executive director of the VSAF.
Parkhill, an assistant coach at Navy, was one of the finalists last year for Drinkard's position.
"I have talked with Student Aid three times, twice after I was contacted," said Parkhill, one of only two UVa players - Ralph Sampson was the other - to be selected ACC player of the year.
"It's something I'd very much like to do," Parkhill said. "I feel I can get in front of people, my peers are starting to make a little money and I think I've got some name recognition."
Parkhill was the head basketball coach from 1983-87 at William and Mary, where he was hired by current Virginia athletic director Jim Copeland.
"It's a real mystery to me," Parkhill said. "I'm extremely disappointed, although it depends on the degree of my mood. They don't owe me anything, [but] sometimes I feel tempted to send my jersey back."
Nevertheless, Parkhill hopes to be at University Hall on Tuesday night, when UVa will honor senior Bryant Stith in his final home game. Parkhill was the second UVa player whose number (40) was retired.
"I hardly know Bryant," Parkhill said, "but I tried to call him the Friday after Virginia played Florida State, after he missed those two free throws. I had a similar experience my senior year, when I threw away an inbounds pass, so I knew how he felt."
\ Parkhill conceded that Sam Cook from Alleghany County has been the victim of a youth movement at Navy, which is 6-19 entering Saturday's basketball game against Fordham and will start four freshmen. Cook has played 82 minutes over 16 games, averaging 1.6 points and 1.3 rebounds.
Cook started 40 games during his first three seasons, including 13 last year, when he averaged 7.4 points and 4.6 rebounds. Cook has scored 721 points during his career and is the Midshipmen's captain, which is a more prestigious honor at Navy than at some places.
\ The women's basketball team at Roanoke College has received commitments from a pair of second-team All-Group A selections, Paula Kennedy of Glenvar and Lori Boyd of Floyd County, both listed at 5 feet 10.
\ Virginia Tech football signee Eugene Mays, rated one of the top 25 prospects in Virginia by the Roanoke Times & World-News, has met academic qualifications for a grant-in-aid. Nearly all of Tech's 21 signees have scored the required 700 on the Scholastic Aptitude Test; one of Virginia's 25 recruits still is pending.
\ Marshall University has been selected as host for the Division I-AA football championship in 1992 and '93. The game has been held for the past three years in Statesboro, Ga., home of Georgia Southern. Marshall, which sells 9,000 season tickets for football, has committed to a gate of 22,000 in its new 28,000-seat stadium.
\ One-time Northside wrestler Ron Long, a 32-year-old Army veteran, will compete in the junior-college national championship this weekend in Bismarck, N.D., for Niagara (N.Y.) Community College. Long, a 150-pounder, was the European champion before returning to the Roanoke Valley, where he was an assistant coach at Northside and William Byrd before deciding to go to college. He hopes to gain a scholarship to a four-year school.
\ Glenvar High School senior Adam Harrell, selected Timesland high school golfer of the year, has made an oral commitment to George Mason. Bath County golfer Todd Jenkins, a former All-Timesland choice, has committed to James Madison.