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.sports? vuiiici viiv< By Johnny Boggs After visiting with the Southeastern, Atlantic Coast and Metro conferences, USC's ad iitiiiiMiaiiviu ueciueu uie mciro serves our purpose" best. USC joined the Metropolitan Collegiate Athletic Conference yesterday after the university's board of trustees voted unanimously to accept an invitation from the conference. "Since 1979, the University of South Carolina has examined conference affiliation," Athletic Director Bob Marcum said. "SINCE MY appointment here, I've visited the Southeastern Conference, the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Metro." Marcum said he visited the SEC twice and the ACC "on several occasions," but the visits were informal. "We feel the Metro conference serves our purpose the best, and we are pleased with the Intercollegiate Activities Committee's and the university administration's support, not only for joining the conference, but for supporting our athletic department in general." The Intercollegiate Activities Committee voted unanimously Tuesday to recommend conference affiliation to the board after a 7-0 vote from Metro officials to extend USC an invitation to join the conference. USC Head Basketball Coach Bill I Foster fantasi about confere By Johnny Boggs Bill Foster said he has been daydreaming ? men's basketball team will compete against Me members. "Yeah, I started fantasizing about that and ] sick," the USC head coach quipped after the un the Metropolitan Collegiate Athletic Conferenc Carolina has a 16-11 record against Metro sc THE GAMECOCKS will participate in the mcni iviarcn y-n ai a sue to oe determined, w receiving an automatic berth in the Natio Athletic Association tournament. USC is eligible to bid for the conference tou Only two Metro games, against Florida Sts scheduled for USC next year, but Foster said C to schedule as many games as possible again! schools. Games against non-league opponents, ho> designated as "conference games" to accommo ference slate for the Gamecocks, according tc Commissioner Jerry Lovelace. USC WOULD be eligible for a regular-seasoi tie with the schedule, Lovelace said. "It's a tough situation," Lovelace said. "V different ways for two different situations and s problems. "But right now, this is the best method we 1 Foster said he believes the Gamecocks will rivalry against Atlantic Coast Conference fo< other teams. "I THINK we will be able to keep our old i _ i ? crease rivalries in nuii-ieugue games, rosier s "We've enjoyed playing Marquette and N< DePaul in the past, and hopefully we can com Getting into the NCAA playoffs was one r conference, Foster said. The Gamecocks went 1 and were not invited to the National Ifivitation This past season, USC finished the regular sea was overlooked by the NCAA. "We need neip gening into postseason Foster said. "This is an evolution. The oppor the thing for us to do. "This is the best thing to do and I'm excited think Ihe coaching staff and players are also.' mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmammmmmmmmmmm e suits neei / i H Hi USC PRESIDENT James Holderman said the university is "delighted" to join the conference. "We think it was a wise decision," Holderman said. "We are pleased and looking forward to competing in a conference not only distinguished in athletics, but in academics as well." Marcum said former Metro Commissioner Larry Albus contacted him about conference affiliation when Marcum was named athletic director in Januarv 1982. "Since then, I've worked with several athletic directors in the Metro, Hindman Wall at Tulane, Bill Dooley at Virginia Tech and Hootie Ingram at Florida State," Marcum said. B|gH About M< Game If&v - ''M By Kevin Sullivan Envisioning fuller schedules i ference championships, USC V' v'| 8 react favorably to Metro confe: \i''' - filiation for USC. Carolina will compete in eigl sports in the Metropolitan C Athletic Conference, starting Foster 1983-84 basketball season. ^ The Gamecocks will also cor ?V I IA / III VJ conference titles in men's base! nis, indoor and outdoor tr? women's basketball, volleyball snce nis. The Metro doesn't conduc ball championship. "WE FEEL good about it," out h?w h,s Men's Basketball Coacl tro conference Steinwedel said. "Now we have season and conference champi< [ started to get shoo, for liversity joined e yesterday. Among the teams Carolina' hools. ball program will face regular iuiuic (tic pcicimiai puwci Metro tourna- State and 1983 National ( ith the winner Athletic Association final fc nal Collegiate Louisville. . "It's difficult to say how w< ~ SLe* do," Stcinwedel said. "We're i ate, have been . . .4. T . ... . .. ... level with Louisville now, 1 arolina will try . , . . tU . .. 4 . .. 3 headed in that direction, it other Metro . , , ? x . State s sophomore center) I vever, will be date a full con- > ?. h > Mc,ro acting | U I O H ? i conference ti/e've tried two From Staff Reports ill of them have Tulane Athletic Director Hir USC join the Metropolitan Co have." Carolina accepted an invita continue their following a unanimous vote b: ; Clemson and "We at Tulane are just elati the Metro," Wall said. "We feel they are going to be ivalries and in- j i<now from our original meeti aid. of jhe schools we wanted (in tl otre Dame and Tulane owns a 0-1 record ov t'nue* . . Tnlane was one of the oriei eason to join a ~ w 17-10 in 1980-81 conference in June 1975. al Tournament. Since then,the Metro has emi son at 20-8 and conferences in the nation. Metro member Louisville hi tournaments," Athletic Association final fou tunity makes it years. The Cardinals' 1980 nations I about it, and I ference has had a national ba first five years of existence. ds. Marcur "After several visits, I com the Metro office." THE METRO, formed in 1975, has primarily emerged as a basketball confere' *e. The con ference had the second best winnii^ percentage against major-college teams this past season with 61.15 percent. The conference does not offer a football championship, and Metro acting Commissioner Jerry Lovelace said he didn't foresee any changes in the future. "I think it would be senseless and pointless to try to predict anything," Lovelace said. "Of course as a student of history, I've learned you never say never. _ A.. _ _._?!?! i ? x? giro aTTMianon icock coaches 1 poses a problem for us. ~ "We will be competitive." and con- ^ rencTaf- HEAD BASEBALL Coach J Raines said he feels the Metro will beneficial to Carolina's base tit league program. .ollegiate "It's a good baseball conferen< with the Raines said. "Teams like Florida St Virginia Tech and Tulane have beei thf? n1nvr?ffc hf?fr\r<? " npete ior ? v ' *? ? ball, ten- The Metro holds a season*ending t< ick, and nament at Florida State, and Raines and ten- "maybe we could have it alternate :t a foot- ween here and Tallahassee. There many possibilities." Metro acting Commissioner J Assistant Lovelace said the baseball site is d< 1 Steve mined by facilities and weather, and ) a regular has had the best in the past. onship to "HOWEVER, I'VE seen US , , ? facilities and Florida State could b s basket- ,, . . ., trr*nm#? " I rtv*Mnr??* coin ly in the ' Memphis Raines said, "There is no regi Collegiate season round-robin scheduling in >ur team conference yet. We feel we will add s rivals and the conference champion is a plus." a[l WC will The Metro conference tournar not on the , . 4 .. , champion receives an automatic bi we r.e the NCAA baseball playoffs. (Memphis Ceith Lee Many coaches agree with USC Ath A r 1 Si lac tn c. # \9 . I I I I v The Metro ?? ferences in thi ldmann Wall said he is glad to see T . llegiate Athletic Conference. ?U anf ii? Tt - .u xa * i poll, and Flor tion to join the Metro yesterday w .. ? . y the university's board of trustees. ed that South Carolina has joined The Gamec iNeo., iour un : a valuable asset to the conference. Carolina w; ng, South Carolina was always one season, tie Metro)." The confer, 'er the Gamecocks in basketball. to the NCAA nal six schools to form the Metro "The Metre tor Bob Mar< ;rgea as one 01 me lop oasKctoaii coniraci, ana grams today.' as been to the National Collegiate Most of th< ir playoffs three of the past four seating capaci The largest il title marked the first time a con- with the small sketball championship team in its Other schoi Mississippi an ii says "At this time, however, it s not under any vote of the conference." USC HAS been an independent for the past 12 years since leaving the ACC. It has sentf baseball and basketball teams to the National Collegiate Athletic Association playoffs several times. "South Carolina is recognized for having one of the outstanding athletic Droerams in the na tion," Lovelace said. "We in the conference are extremely happy to have South Carolina join us." The Metro includes Cincinnati, Florida State, Louisville, Memphis State, Southern Mississippi, Tulane and Virginia Tech, in addition to C use. Carolina is the first team to join the conference since St. Louis dropped out in the spring of 1982, and was replaced by Southern Mississippi. In addition to basketball, the Metro offers conference competition in men's baseball, tennis, indoor and outdoor track, and women's , basketball, volleyball and tennis. The Gamecocks will be eligible for the conference basketball championship in March,f Lovelace said. feeling good Director Bob Marcum that conference q ffilioti an ti/ill caIva cpIi Arlnlin nr C4 x i 111 u i i \j 11 n in jui v v 0VUVUU11115 problems. * une I be "IT HELPS that we have 14 games we ball don't have to schedule," Steinwedel said. "Some teams will remain on our :e," schedule. I know the Notre Dame, Marate, quette and Georgia Tech series have been n in good, and we don't want to discontinue them." our- Men's Tennis Coach Ron Smarr said said USC's tennis team will do well in the . bet- Metro. * are "We'll be right there in the top three with Florida State and Memphis State. erry The Florida State program is really imRQii proving. We've been pretty even with them in dual matches." Because of the lengthy travel involved >C's in the conference, Smarr said, "We will e in probably only play Metro teams in dual meets if it's convenient or if they come to ^ jlar- Carolina." Track Coach Charlie Strong said, v/w.v "Right now we're floundering, just tryship jng to get gOOCj times. Now we have three championships to compete for ? crossnent country, indoor and outdoor track. "The Metro conference has made us an entirely different team. I'm disapiletic pointed we can't compete this year." ? ;w addition is also considered one of the top baseball cone nation. inked among the top 10 teams in the nation in one ida State has made seven appearances in the College ocks have advanced to the world series in Omaha, nes in the past nine years, finishing second twice, as seventh last year and is ranked in the top 20 this^ ence tournament winner receives an automatic berth playoffs in basketball and baseball. ) conference is really growing," USC Athletic Direc:um said. "It's in a process of getting a television television exposure is very important to athletic pro ? i Metro member schools have basketball areas with ity with more than 10,000. is Riverfront Coliseum in Cincinnati with 17,000,'$* lest being Tulane Arena in New Orleans with 4,500. ols in the Metro include Memphis State, Southern id Virginia Tech.