Otahkian gymnasts open season tonight at powerful Florida

Several key injuries might have Southeast Missouri State University's gymnastics team down a bit right now, but the Otahkians are definitely not out.

In fact, once the Otahkians regain full strength, coach Patty Stotzheim is looking for her third Southeast squad to be her most successful.

"I'm pretty excited, especially once we get through the first month," said Stotzheim. "We're going to have a slow start because of the injuries. We won't impress anybody the first few meets.

"But once we get everybody healthy, I think we can do well. I'm confident this will be the best team we've in the three years I've been here."

The Otahkians' opening meet of the 2002 season will definitely be a rugged one as they visit national power Florida tonight. Central Michigan will also compete in the triangular.

Southeast's first home action will be Jan. 18 when Northern Illinois and Wisconsin-LaCrosse visit Houck Field House. The Otahkians will also have five other home meets this year.

The Otahkians improved to a 10-10 overall record last year after Stotzheim's first Southeast squad went just 5-15. But Stotzheim was disappointed that the Otahkians had no NCAA regional participants in 2001. Sophomore Ashley Godwin had qualified, but an injury prevented her from competing.

"We're hoping to get at least one all-arounder and maybe one event person to regionals this year," Stotzheim said.

Hampering the Otahkians during the early part of the season will be the absence of seniors Jessica Bagwill and Stephanie Furman, who will both miss at least about a month after having shoulder and knee surgery, respectively.

Returning talent

Still, Southeast returns plenty of talent from a squad that recorded four top 10 all-time school-record scores and lost just one senior in Kathy Smith. The Otahkians posted 49.2 and 48.925 balance beam scores to rank one-two in school history while also earning Nos. 4 and 9 all-time floor exercise scores.

Godwin returns as Southeast's top all-arounder after winning four meet titles last year while also being first four times in vaulting and once on floor. She and junior Amy Cole will be the Otahkians' primary all-arounders.

Furman is coming off a strong season that saw her win four beam, four vault, one floor and one all-around meet titles. Her 9.9 on beam is tied for third all-time at Southeast while her 9.925 on floor is tied for fifth all-time.

Bagwill captured two uneven bars titles last season and her 9.85 score is seventh in school history.

Also returning from a year ago are seniors Michelle Walker, Karen Hamilton and Elenor Wilson; junior Candace Spicer; and sophomore Jacklyn Doebbler, who redshirted.

Walker, who won one floor and one beam title last year, had a 9.9 beam score to tie for third on the school's record list while her 9.9 on the floor matched her own mark from two years ago to rank sixth all-time.

The Otahkians will also be bolstered by seven promising freshmen: Michelle Albury, Katie Bloom, Talia Cover, Crystal Eberhardt, Anna Fink, Traci Flippo and Alexis Traylor. Stotzheim said that Blum and Traylor appear to be the most ready to contribute right away.