CLEMSON'S ELLIS PUTS HIMSELF ON COACHING HOT SEAT

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, April 1, 1993                   TAG: 9304010079
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Long
CLEMSON'S ELLIS PUTS HIMSELF ON COACHING HOT SEAT
Cliff Ellis, facing possible ouster as Clemson basketball coach after nine seasons, came up with a unique scheme to save his job.
Ellis offered to tear up his existing contract, which had two years to run, in favor of a one-year pact. Athletic director Bobby Robinson liked what he heard.
"It's unprecedented," Ellis said. "A lot of people are going to think I'm crazy, but it's something that I thought was important. I want this thing to be evaluated on a year-to-year basis. I think it will keep my feet to the fire."
The prevailing opinion at the ACC Tournament three weeks ago was that Ellis would be dismissed, so it appears a deal was struck, although Clemson insiders say it never got to that point.
Ellis' position may have been helped by a 17-13 record, including a victory over Auburn in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament, but what put his job in jeopardy were such peripheral issues as fan support, season tickets, graduation rates, scheduling and image.
Clemson might have found it difficult to attract a new coach while it still faced sanctions stemming from an NCAA investigation. The Tigers' staff will not be allowed off campus to recruit until Aug. 7 and may entertain no more than two prospects on paid visits next year.
"I made this recommendation," said Ellis, whose $108,000 salary will not change. "That needs to be understood. Each year I'm going to evaluate what's right for Cliff Ellis and Clemson, and they're going to do the same thing."
One bright sign for the Tigers was a crowd of 9,500 for the Auburn game, when the students were out of school. Ellis purchased $1,000 worth of tickets and challenged the Tigers' fans to show their support for quality scheduling.
"I am Clemson basketball," said Ellis, whose 159-110 record gives him more victories than any other Clemson basketball coach. "No other coach at Clemson has been here 10 years. They've all been fired or had to leave. That's not the way Cliff Ellis is going to leave."
\ COACHING UPDATE: Ex-VMI basketball coach Marty Fletcher has met with officials concerning the vacancy at George Mason University, as have former Denver Nuggets and Loyola Marymount coach Paul Westhead, Colgate coach Jack Bruen and Bucknell coach Charlie Woollum.
Sources say Westhead is the frontrunner for the job but is trying to hold off George Mason until he gets word on another vacancy he is pursuing at Houston.
\ FAVORABLE RULING: North Carolina State has received an extra year of basketball eligibility for forward Bryant Feggins, who missed the 1992-93 season while recovering from a gunshot wound. Feggins, who did not play in 1991-92 after undergoing reconstructive knee surgery, will have two years of eligibility starting with next season.
\ DATES? WHAT DATES? Officials at Old Dominion University and with the Hampton Roads Admirals hockey team fired shots at each other after a first-round National Invitation Tournament game against Virginia Commonwealth had to be rescheduled.
Athletic director Jim Jarrett said he was told by officials at Norfolk Scope in February the building would be available Friday, March 19. As soon as the game was announced, however, Scope officials said the hockey team had reserved the building in June for a possible playoff game.
The Admirals were unwilling to switch a playoff game with the Raleigh IceCaps, so ODU changed its game to Thursday, with some resentment. "I am . . . embarrassed by the lack of cooperation and community support by Norfolk Scope and the Hampton Roads Admirals," Jarrett said in a statement.
\ ALL-STARS: North Carolina basketball signees Jerry Stackhouse and Jeff McInnis from Oak Hill Academy will play in the McDonald's All-America Game on Sunday in Memphis, Tenn. All four of the Division I signees from Oak Hill are playing in two all-star games, including Makhtar Ndiaye (Wake Forest) and Jermaine "Sunshine" Smith (Nevada-Las Vegas).
\ RECRUITING: Virginia Tech is not recruiting any high school players but the Hokies are looking at several junior college prospects in case a scholarship becomes available: 6-8 Lewis Sims from Anderson (S.C.), 6-8 Emeka Wilson from Moberly (Mo.) and 6-7 Derrick Waugh from Chowan (N.C.).
North Carolina State has received an oral commitment from 6-foot-5 Jeremy Hyatt from Neptune Beach, Fla., and also is expected to sign 6-6 Ricky Daniels from Anderson Junior College. . . . James Madison reportedly has a commitment from 6-9 John Tyson from Trinity Valley, Texas, Junior College.
\ WOMEN'S HOOPS: Virginia freshman Kristen Somogyi, a Parade All-American who broke her father's state high school scoring record in New Jersey, has decided to transfer. Somogyi played sparingly down the stretch and did not get in the game Saturday when UVa lost to Ohio State 75-73 in the East Region final. . . . UVa has added to its collection of post players with a commitment from 6-4 Tammy Gardner, labeled a sleeper by her coach in Sarasota, Fla. . . . Virginia Tech's 10-game improvement was the third-best in Division I this past season.
\ FOOTBALL: Defensive back L.G. Goganious, rated one of the top 25 prospects in Virginia by the Roanoke Times & World-News, has signed with Appalachian State. Goganious, brother of Buffalo Bills linebacker Keith Goganious, played at Salem High in Virginia Beach, which sent center Craig Tweed and linebacker Bo Herpst to VMI.
\ NON-REVENUE: Terry Harvey, a quarterback on N.C. State's football team, pitched a no-hitter Friday night against Florida State. It was the first no-hitter against the Seminoles in Mike Martin's 21 seasons as head coach. . . . Virginia lacrosse player Kevin Pehlke has broken the school record for goals in a career with 118. The old mark of 116 was held by Chase Monroe, who played from 1985-88. . . . Travis Bishop, an all-state goalkeeper at Blacksburg High last spring and a starter for Ferrum this past fall, is transferring to Bluefield College for the 1993 season.

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB