UVa men’s basketball players interviewed in missing Virginia Tech student case

The University of Virginia issued a statement yesterday saying that some members of its men’s basketball team were among witnesses interviewed in the Morgan Harrington disappearance case.

Harrington, 20, was last seen outside U.Va.‘s John Paul Jones Arena while attending a Metallica concert Oct. 17.

The statement, issued by Carol Wood, U.Va.‘s assistant vice president for public affairs, says:

“Because of the number of rumors that have been circulating about members of the university’s men’s basketball team in regard to the Morgan Harrington case, we felt it was important to make a statement to set the record straight.

“As police worked to establish a timeline of Oct. 17 in hopes of locating Ms. Harrington, they interviewed a number of witnesses, including some members of the men’s basketball team.

“After a practice, team members had been approached by a female consistent with Ms. Harrington’s description. They cooperated fully with law enforcement investigators and, like other witnesses interviewed by the police, they provided information that is important to police efforts to establish Ms. Harrington’s movements.“

Rewards totaling $150,000 are being offered in the case, and Harrington’s parents have set up a Web site, FindMorgan.com, that gives the latest information.