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News Nuggets, 04.13.05
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

Odom pours cold water on Virginia speculation

COLUMBIA — South Carolina's Dave Odom has seemingly squashed all the rumors that had him pegged to be the next head coach at Virginia.

``It is my intention to finish out my coaching career at South Carolina. I hope to do that. I expect to do that,'' Odom said Tuesday at a news conference.

Odom, a former Virginia assistant whose coaching resume includes head coaching stops at Wake Forest and East Carolina, talked with Virginia athletic director Craig Littlepage at the Final Four and the rumors have been swirling since.

Just days after his team won the NIT championship on a last-second shot, attention quickly turned to whether Odom would return for a fifth season with the Gamecocks.

Odom said last week he and Littlepage discussed Virginia's place in the Atlantic Coast Conference and what the school might do to succeed, but they never talked about Odom becoming coach.

``I do have an interest in Virginia, only in that I want them to get the best coach possible, which is not me,'' he said.

But Odom said he would never say he had ``no interest'' in the Virginia job because he didn't want ``to be made out to be a liar'' and didn't want to hurt his Virginia fans and friends.

``I can look everybody in the eye and say, 'I am not a candidate nor have I been a candidate for University of Virginia's job,''' Odom said.

Things could change, ``but by the same token, who knows?'' he said.

Odom said he and Littlepage haven't spoken since last Sunday, but the two have exchanged voicemails, including one Littlepage left for Odom: ``David, I'm sorry things got out the way they got out. It is absolutely a mess.''

Virginia officials interviewed DePaul basketball coach Dave Leitao for the Cavaliers' vacancy on Friday, but still no decision has been made. Virginia is seeking a replacement for Pete Gillen, who resigned after seven seasons and just one NCAA tournament appearance.

Odom said last week that he assumed his other coaches, players and fans were upset after all the rumors, but he said the fallout hasn't been all that bad.

``I walked around my neighborhood and a lot of people were not upset,'' Odom said. ``They were, 'I hope you don't leave, Coach.'''

Odom also said he made recruiting visits to shore up any doubt that he might not be back next fall and his current players and staff ``are fine'' as well.

Indicating he may lose another assistant or two, Odom said he has deferred interviewing candidates for an assistant position that became available when Ricky Stokes left to become East Carolina's coach.

South Carolina assistants Rick Duckett and Barry Sanderson have expressed interest in Coastal Carolina's head-coaching vacancy, and Odom said he didn't want to hire someone with the future of his current staff still unclear.

Odom, who has three years left on his contract, also said he has not spoken with school officials about an extension.

NCAA voids results of six D-II baseball teams

PRINCETON, WV — Six West Virginia Conference baseball teams have been stripped of 25 results this season because they did not meet the NCAA's criteria for regulation games, the league announced Monday.

Games lost by WVIAC schools included Salem International, nine; Concord and Davis & Elkins, five apiece; the University of Charleston, three; West Virginia Wesleyan, two; and West Liberty, one.

The NCAA baseball rules committee said the Division II schools cannot count those games in official standings or statistics because the games were scheduled as a seven-inning contest or did not meet the NCAA's definition of a legal doubleheader.

NCAA rules only allow for a seven-inning game as part of a scheduled doubleheader, which must be between the same two teams. The second game of a doubleheader must begin no more than 30 minutes after the first game.

The doubleheader rule is in the current version of the NCAA Baseball Rules Book but was not in the 2004 version. All the games took place during spring-break trips.

News Nuggets are compiled periodically based on material supplied by staff members; data published by ECU, Conference USA and its member schools; and reports from Associated Press and other sources. Copyright 2005 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Page Updated: 02/23/2007 12:23 PM