Surprising year nets award
roanoke.com
By Mark Berman
981-3125
The Roanoke Times
The Virginia Tech men's basketball team surprised many people this season, including one of coach Seth Greenberg's mentors.
"I came down there to speak to their boosters and their team before the season and I watched them practice," former Maryland coach Lefty Driesell, a two-time ACC coach of the year, said Tuesday from his Virginia Beach home. "I said to myself, 'He's going to have a hard time this year.'"
But it wasn't nearly as hard a season as many thought it would be, and now Driesell and Greenberg have something in common. Greenberg was named the ACC coach of the year Tuesday by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association. Greenberg received 58 votes; North Carolina's Roy Williams was second with 33 votes.
Picked to finish next-to-last in the ACC's preseason media poll, the Hokies went 8-8 in their first season in the league and tied for fourth place. They carried a 15-13 record into Tuesday night's NIT game.
"He did a great job," said Driesell, who also coached at Davidson, James Madison and Georgia State. "His kids bought into his system and they worked hard. They had a great year. I thought they got the short end of the stick by not getting in the NCAAs."
Greenberg, 48, talks to Driesell, 73, once a week. They have known each other since Greenberg was a Virginia assistant in 1983-84, but they didn't begin talking regularly with each other until this season.
"Everyone needs a mentor and someone to bounce things off of, and he's been available for me," Greenberg said. "He's a very bright guy that's been in this game a long time. He watches our team and he's someone to talk basketball with. I really value his friendship."
Tech also exceeded expectations last season, which was Greenberg's first year at the school. The Hokies were picked to finish last in the Big East coaches' preseason poll but tied for eighth at 7-9 and made the Big East tournament for the first time. They went 15-14, which was the Hokies' first winning record in four years.
Virginia Tech's Frank Beamer was named the ACC football coach of the year last December |
