OTAHK GYMNASTS REACH NEW HEIGHTS

In its next meet, Southeast Missouri State University's gymnastics team will face perhaps its toughest competition of the season -- defending national champion Alabama.

If Southeast can build on its last two meets, Alabama may be in for a challenge.

The Otahkians scored a school-record 195.225 to easily top Eastern Michigan's 192.175 Thursday at Houck Field House.

The Otahkians' previous school record was a 194.725 at the Midwest Independent Championships two seasons ago. In its last meet, a home victory against Missouri, Southeast scored a 194.550, the third-best score in the school's history.

"(The 195) has been a goal since my sophomore year. And we're going to break it again, I guarantee you that," said Kate Farrington, the team's only senior.

Hopkins said it was the first meet in at least two years that his team was not forced to count any falls in the team score. And the Otahkians recorded 10 individual scores of at least 9.8, topped by sophomore Erin Chenier's school-record 9.9 on bars.

"This team is amazing," said Hopkins. "They had a great meet and they just keep on getting better every meet. It's exactly what we were hoping to do. With the kind of skills that we're throwing, it's so easy to make mistakes.

"(Entering the season) I knew we could easily break our school record -- if we hit -- and that's exactly what we did tonight. I knew we had tremendous depth and talent as a team."

Chenier won the all-around with a 39.175, which was two-tenths of a point off her school record 39.275. A step out of bounds on floor prevented Chenier from breaking her record.

Chenier tied Farrington for first on vault (9.85), won bars and tied Eastern Michigan's Jodi Schwehr for third on beam.

Farrington (38.975) was third all-around, behind Eastern Michigan's Kim Miller (39.050).

Southeast (13-4) swept floor for the third-straight meet. Cristie Logan, Malia Roberts and Amanda Gdovicak each scored a 9.85. On bars, the Otahkians' Kristin Frohlich was second (9.875) and Jessica Dunbar third (9.8) to complete a sweep of the event.

The win was Southeast's fifth-straight meet win.

"We finally hit as a whole team," said Farrington. "It's the best feeling in the world when your whole team hits."

Southeast's next meet will be Mar. 8 at Alabama. Southeast will compete against Michigan State, West Virginia and host Alabama.