U.VA.'S COLLEGE BOWL TEAM TO COMPETE
	FOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE

	CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., April 25 -- This month has proven to
be exciting for the University of Virginia Union College Bowl team.
Last weekend U.Va. went to the Academic Competition Foundation
National Tournament and this weekend is prepared to go to the
College Bowl Inc. National Tournament.  The U.Va. College Bowl team
took home a third place in the Academic Competition Foundation
National Tournament, and is prepared to fight for the crown in the
College Bowl Inc. National Tournament.
	The U.Va. program sent two teams to the Academic Competition
Foundation (ACF) National Championship in Knoxville, Tenn. on April
19.  The best team, or "A team" was comprised of a team of four:
captain, graduate student John Harris, leading scorer in the
playoffs' second year; Andrew Yaphe; fourth-year Charles Odell; and
third-year Brian Rostron.  With all 39 teams set into three
brackets, the "A team" finished second in their bracket behind
Maryland A.  Since the top four teams in each bracket reached the
playoffs, the "A team" qualified.  After the playoffs finished,
Virginia "A" had a record of 8-3 in the playoffs which was good for
a third place finish in the country, only being beaten by the
eventual winner George Tech "A," the eventual second place finisher,
Maryland "A" and Cornell.  In his first year of head coaching, Clay
Davenport stated after the competition, "Our strength has been
traditionally in the CBI format.  Third place is our best finish
ever under the slower, harder ACF style of play."
	Virginia's "B team," comprised of graduate students Alex
Richman and Alice Chou, and third-years Mike Dershewitz and Carrie
Pruett, also had a very good competition, finishing fifth in their
bracket.  The "B team" narrowly missed the playoffs due to a tough
call against them in the preliminary round.  The fifth place finish
was not quite good enough to make the playoffs, but the eventual
14th place finished out of 39 teams did lead all other "B" teams in
the field.  "Our 'B team' leading all other 'B teams' illustrates
our depth compared to other schools," said Coach Davenport.
Davenport was quite pleased with both finishes, but especially was
delighted about the "B team's" standing in the competition.
	This upcoming weekend one Virginia squad comprised of
captain, Brian Rostron, Mike Dershewitz, Charles Odell, Carrie
Pruett and Andrew Yaphe, will compete for the national title under
the College Bowl Inc. format in Tempe, Arizona, on the campus of
Arizona State University.  This quicker format, composed of more
trivia, is the same format used in the University's fall intramural
tournament.  Virginia will be competing against 15 other schools who
had to win their region to advance to the national competition.
U.Va. advanced to the national competition for the sixth year in a
row, the longest active streak in the country, despite playing in
one of the largest and toughest regions in the country.  U.Va. is
considered by the academic competition community to be a favorite
for the title which would be their second in four years.  Coach
Davenport is ". . . optimistic about the upcoming tournament.  We've
got a very good chance to win it, and to do less would be
disappointing.  I'm fortunate to have inherited such a strong and
dedicated group of students from my predecessor, including one of
the very best players in the country [Andres Yaphe]."  The team
leaves for Arizona on Friday morning and will hopefully return with
the College Bowl trophy, again.
	###
April 24, 1996
	For additional information call Scott Rothbart, College Bowl
chair, at (804) 243-1906 or Clay Davenport, coach, at (804)
924-3917, office, or 979-3556, home.