DATE: Friday, June 20, 1997                 TAG: 9706200873

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C2   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   34 lines

CAPEL SAYS HE HASN'T HAD CONTACT WITH FSU OFFICIALS ODU COACH APPARENTLY NOT ON THE SEMINOLES' SHORT LIST.

Florida State reportedly has three candidates for its basketball coaching job on its short list, and Old Dominion's Jeff Capel isn't among them.

The Tallahassee Democrat reported Thursday that ``at least'' three candidates have confirmed they have been contacted by the Seminoles - Oregon State's Eddie Payne, UNC Charlotte's Melvin Watkins and Mississippi's Rob Evans. And the paper said athletic director Dave Hart told a member of his staff the first phase of the search process is complete, which probably means Hart is ready to begin interviewing.

``I haven't applied for it, and I haven't been contacted,'' Capel said Thursday, adding he does not expect to be. Capel's name surfaced in media reports immediately after the job came open last week.

UNC Charlotte's Watkins also said Thursday he had not heard from Florida State and 49ers athletic director Judy Rose said no one had asked to speak to Watkins.

``There's no story,'' Watkins said. ``I have not been contacted by anybody from Florida State.''

Another name that has been mentioned prominently is Washington's Bob Bender.

The Seminoles are looking for a replacement for Pat Kennedy, who left after 11 seasons last week to become the head coach at DePaul. ILLUSTRATION: Photo

``I haven't applied for it, and I haven't been contacted,'' Jeff

Capel said Thursday of the FSU job.

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu