DOEHRING WILL NOT RETURN TO OTAHKIANS

The season is still almost nine months away, but Southeast Missouri State University's softball team has already suffered a severe blow for the 2002 campaign.

Southeast coach Lana Richmond announced Tuesday that Jenny Doehring, the reigning Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year as a sophomore, is leaving the Otahkians for personal reasons.

Richmond did not elaborate on what those reasons were and she said she did not know if Doehring was planning to transfer to another school to play softball. Doehring could not be reached for comment.

"Jenny had a fine two-year career at Southeast and we wish her well in her future endeavors," said Richmond.

Doehring was the Otahkians' top pitcher and second-leading hitter this year. On the mound, she went 15-10 with a 2.36 earned-run average. At the plate, she batted .319 with team highs of four home runs, four triples and 26 runs batted in.

During her freshman season in 2000, Doehring was also first-team all-OVC as she led the Otahkians in hitting and ERA.

Richmond realizes that trying to replace a player -- particularly from a pitching standpoint -- the caliber of Doehring will not be easy.

"The timing, at this juncture of the year, really puts a strain on us as far as recruiting a quality player for the program," Richmond said. "I spent a year and a half recruiting her. That's the way recruiting works.

"It does put a strain on the program. At this time of the year, that kind of caliber pitcher is pretty well gone, but there are people out there."

Southeast is scheduled to return its No. 2 pitcher from this year in senior-to-be Kristen King, who went 9-14 with a 2.71 ERA.