OTAHK GYMNASTS PAINT OVER SCHOOL RECORD, TOP 196 MARK

Up until now, the only thing Southeast Missouri State University gymnastics coach Bill Hopkins had in common with enigmatic Chicago Bulls star Dennis Rodman was winning.

But don't be surprised if you see Hopkins making a Rodman-like choice between flashy fuchsia and pretty pink fingernail polish in the cosmetics aisle.

Hopkins promised his Otahkians that if they reached the elite 196-point plateau for the first time in school history he would paint his fingernails.

On Friday, in its final home meet of the season, Southeast did it. The Otahkians beat Iowa 196.025 to 193.400 at Houck Field House.

"I kind of made the team a deal," said Hopkins, who reached the 500-win mark Friday. "I think this was a bad deal. I'll just get some fingernail polish remover and it won't be on there very long."

Said Southeast's Kate Farrington: "We knew some year (a 196) would be possible, but we didn't think it would be this year. We got it, and now we get to paint coach's fingernails."

Last Tuesday against Illinois State, Southeast set a school record for team score, Erin Chenier broke her school record in the all-around and Farrington recorded the second perfect 10 in school history.

That was just a warmup.

Southeast (14-7) bettered its previous record of 195.650 and Chenier bettered her school record by winning the all-around with a 39.425.

But most impressively, Southeast scored consecutive perfect 10s for the first time in school history. On floor, Farrington recorded her second 10 of the week and the third of her career. Next up was Chenier, who scored her first-ever 10.

Chenier put together her career night despite an injured shoulder that will keep her out of Southeast's next meet.

"I've never gotten a 10 in my life and I'm so very excited," said the sophomore from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. "I never thought I would get a 10 in my life. And I beat my (all-around) record by way more than I ever thought I was going to."

Two years ago, Farrington, the team's only senior this season, recorded Southeast's first 10 on vault. Farrington scored the school's second 10 on floor Tuesday, but said her floor routine Friday was even better.

"(The routine) felt better tonight," Farrington said. "I didn't feel any pressure. I'll never forget the moment; it's a great experience."

So just how difficult is it to score a 10?

"It is extremely hard to score a 10," Hopkins said. "A lot of teams throw routines that are not even worth a 10. To not even give the judges a half of a tenth of a point to deduct is just tremendous."

Southeast swept vault and floor and had two of the top three finishers on beam and bars.

"We hit 26 out of 27 routines," said Hopkins. "We've never in my 18 years here put that many good routines one after the other. The only mistake we had didn't even count. I'm real pleased with the performance; this is going to put us in tremendous shape for NCAAs."

Chenier tied Farrington for first on floor, tied for first on beam (9.9), tied Southeast's Malia Roberts on bars (9.85) and was third on vault (9.775). Farrington won vault with a 9.925.

Also for Southeast, Cristie Logan was second on vault (9.825), Kristin Frohlich was third on bars (9.85) and Roberts was third on floor (9.9).