Wake Forest Athletics News - Wake Forest University Athletics

Gold Rush: 100% Cotten

Settling In

Nov. 19, 2002

It's a long way from Kaunas, Lithuania, to Winston-Salem. You almost can't get here from there. But Wake Forest sophomore forward Vytautas Danelius (he prefers the shortened Vytas) found his way - with a pit stop at Park Tudor High in Indianapolis - and is beginning to settle in as he embarks on his second season for the Demon Deacons.

The one thing that is missing, though, is Darius Songaila who, like Vytas, is a native Lithuanian. All of the Deacs will miss Songaila, but nobody will miss him like Danelius.

"Darius was a leader for me last year," admits Danelius. "He was my guide on and off the court. I learned so much from him. The early days were hard for me, but he showed me how to be a better player and a better person."

With Songaila off to Moscow and professional basketball, Vytas must now be his own man. He seems to be ready for the new challenge.

"This year will be different without Darius around, but I know so much more now," Danelius explains. "Now I know what the coaches want, and I know more about what to do off the court - especially with academics."

Vytas says his favorite thing about Wake Forest basketball is being in the ACC. That might be because he's been around the ACC block once now and liked it.

"I'm ready to go," Danelius says with a wide smile. "I didn't know what ACC basketball was all about last year. But now I do, and I'm excited for the season to start."

While sorting things out a year ago, Danelius led the Deacs in field-goal percentage (.566), averaged nearly seven points a game and pulled down over four rebounds a contest while playing nearly 17 minutes a game. When the ballots were in, people had noticed. Danelius was named honorable mention Freshman All-ACC.

With that successful season behind him, he now knows a little bit what it was like for Darius Songaila to mentor him. He's beginning to do the same for others.

"I have talked to some of the freshmen," Danelius admits. "I've told them that our tough practices are nothing compared to what's coming (ACC). I have given advice and offered to help with certain things. I went through it all last year. They'll be fine."

Last year seems like very far away now to Danelius. His eyes are now focused on the future.

"We are definitely building a new team," he says. "Most of us know we'll be here for a long time. You can tell the nucleus is building." With the young talent already in place and next year's recruiting class ranked by some as high as No. 5 in the nation, Vytas Danelius had better get some therapy.

His biggest fear? Heights.

Cotten Briefs

Wake's senior class of footballers has a chance to accomplish what no other class has been able to for 50 years - finish with a winning season in three of their four years. The last time the Deacs did it - 1950-52 under head coaches Peahead Walker and Tom Rogers.

Senior defensive end Calvin Pace has been invited to represent the Demon Deacons in three postseason all-star games. Pace currently has invites to the East-West Shrine Game, the Senior Bowl and the Hula Bowl. To date, he has accepted to play in the Senior Bowl.

Skip Prosser is keeping his young team close to home this season. Other than the mandated ACC road games, the Deacs will only venture out to Wisconsin (twice - Wisconsin and Marquette) and Virginia (Richmond).