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News Nuggets, 04.16.05
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

'East Carolina' faces 'Pirates' in reformulated battle

The injury bug has transformed the way East Carolina's climactic final spring scrimmage will be orchestrated, according to a Friday press release from the school.

Instead of stocking each team via a draft for Saturday's Purple-Gold Game, first-year Pirate head coach Skip Holtz has decided to level the competitive playing field between the two squads by assigning the first-team offense and the first-team defense to opposing sides.

The offensive starters will be joined on what Holtz has labeled the "East Carolina" team by backup members of the defensive roster.

The defensive starters, called the "Pirates," will be complemented by players drawn from the second, third and fourth teams of the offensive depth chart.

Scheduled for a 3:00 p.m. kickoff, the announced makeup of the "East Carolina" offense and the "Pirates" defense reveals some insight into the jockeying for starting positions as the team's spring regimen draws to a close.

Holtz identified the "East Carolina" offensive unit as:

• Aundrae Allison (WR)

• Brian Howard (WR)

• Kevin Roach (WR)

• Robert Tillman (WR)

• Chris Johnson (RB)

• Jermarcus Veal (RB)

• Davon Drew (QB)

• Jay Sonnhalter (TE)

• Gary Freeman (OL)

• Eric Graham (OL)

• Trey Magee (OL)

• Chris Sellers (OL)

• Drew Sutton (OL)

The "Pirates" defensive unit is made up of:

• Wendell Chavis (DL)

• Fred Hicks (DL)

• Shauntae Hunt (DL)

• Mark Robinson (DL)

• Richard Koonce (LB)

• Durwin Lamb (DL)

• Jarrett Wiggins (LB)

• Jamar Flournoy (FS)

• Pierre Parker (SS)

• Demetrius Hodges (CB)

• Erode Jean (CB)

In a pre-game ceremony, Holtz and each position coach will recognize a player from his respective unit for outstanding attitude, effort and leadership during spring drills.

Seating for the public will be on the north side of the stadium, adjacent to the activities of the weekend's "Great Pirate Purple/Gold Pigskin Pigout Party."

Game tickets will be on sale Saturday for $5.00, or $10.00 including a plate of barbeque from the Pig-Out festivities.

Compiled from an ECU Athletics report.

UVa pays big bucks to lure Leitao from DePaul

CHARLOTTESVILLE — DePaul's Dave Leitao has accepted an offer to become Virginia's basketball coach, his former athletic director confirmed Friday night.

``I'm absolutely confirming. Coach Leitao told me he took the job at Virginia,'' DePaul athletic director Jean Lenti Ponsetto told The Associated Press.

Leitao's hiring will be formally announced Saturday, ending a 4 1/2 -week search that followed Pete Gillen's resignation on March 14, a Virginia source told the AP.

The hiring of Leitao, first reported on the Web sites of The Roanoke Times and Daily Press of Newport News, ends a lengthy pursuit by Virginia. It received permission from DePaul to speak with the 44-year-old Leitao about the job last Friday and flew him to campus for a tour on Thursday. Leitao agreed to make the move Friday.

Leitao informed the Blue Demons of his decision Friday night, the school said.

The terms of Leitao's contract have not yet been finalized, a source at the university said, but will be before the formal announcement is made.

Leitao, who will become the first black head coach at Virginia in any sport, is charged with energizing a program about to enter its most ambitious period ever. The school plans to open the $130 million, 15,000-seat John Paul Jones Arena for the 2006 season.

Gillen resigned under pressure after the Cavaliers were 14-15 in his seventh season. The Cavaliers only advanced to the NCAA tournament once during Gillen's tenure. He stepped down with six years remaining on a 10-year contract and received a $2 million buyout March 14.

The school also will apparently compensate DePaul handsomely. The Chicago Sun-Times reported Virginia will have to pay more than $3 million to buy out the final six years of Leitao's contract, renegotiated after St. John's and Auburn pursued him last year.

DePaul has declined to confirm the terms of any potential buyout.

Besides DePaul, Leitao spent two seasons as a head coach at his alma mater, Northeastern, and did two stints as an assistant to Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun, who has sung the praises of his protégé to Virginia president John T. Casteen III.

Casteen was the president at Connecticut before moving to Virginia.

Leitao had a 58-34 record in three years at DePaul, reaching the NCAA tournament two years ago and the NIT this year, losing in the second round to Texas A&M. The three-year stretch is DePaul's best since it first joined a conference in 1991.

Ponsetto said Leitao will be missed.

``In his three seasons with our program, Dave has shown tremendous class, integrity and dedication to producing student-athletes that DePaul University can be proud of on the playing floor and in the community. We wish him well at Virginia,'' she said.

DePaul will begin its search for a new coach immediately, Ponsetto said.

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.

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