OTAHKIANS READY TO DEFEND OVC TITLES

If the play of Southeast Missouri State University's volleyball team is as impressive as the look of the Otahkians' new locker room, then coach Cindy Gannon's squad should be in for another banner season.

Southeast, which opens the 2000 campaign this weekend in the St. Louis Tournament, is favored to win its eighth Ohio Valley Conference regular-season championship in the past 10 years.

The Otahkians, who went 28-6 overall and 17-1 in OVC play last year as they captured the conference's regular-season and tournament titles, showed off their new digs Monday afternoon as they held their annual media day at Houck Field House.

Located in the west wing of Houck, the new locker room was built through contributions generated by the Jacque LeMone Volleyball Fund. LeMone, Southeast's athletic business manager from 1985-92 and an active supporter of all Southeast sports, died in 1998.

Labeled the "Go SEMO" locker room, the sparking facility includes professional style lockers, showers and a carpeted entertainment area featuring a big-screen television and internet access for players and coaches.

"The locker room is a tremendous area for our athletes and it will be a great recruiting tool for us," said Gannon. "It's very exciting for our program. Special thanks to all of our generous donors."

Exciting is also a term that Gannon figures can be used to describe the 2000 Otahkians, even though they lost standouts Amy Henken, Angie Aschoff and Jackie Derwort to graduation.

But there is plenty of returning talent, which is why the OVC coaches have picked the Otahkians to continue their domination of the league. The Otahks have failed to win the OVC's regular-season title just twice since joining the conference in 1991.

"I anticipate great things from this team," said Gannon, the 1999 OVC Coach of the Year who has compiled a 286-140 record entering her 12th season. "We have the tools it takes (to win another OVC title), but like I always say, we have to prove it on the court."

Southeast will be led by a trio of all-star seniors in outside hitters Krista Haukap and Lea Beckemeyer and middle blocker Rachelle Knapp.

Haukap, the career kills leader at Southeast, led the OVC in kills last year as she earned first-team all-league honors.

"We're very excited about the season," said Haukap. "I think we have a lot of great players coming back and the freshmen have added a lot."

Beckemeyer was second on the team in kills in 1999 as she made second-team all-OVC. She and Haukap were selected to the preseason all-OVC first team this year.

Knapp, second on the Otahkians in blocks a year ago, made the preseason all-OVC second team.

"We expect a lot of big things, and a lot of leadership, from our three seniors," Gannon said.

After the three seniors, the Otahkians are plenty young, although they return five other letterwinners from last season.

Junior outside hitter Lori Lange and sophomore middle blocker/outside hitter Emily Johnson saw plenty of playing time a year ago, with Johnson being named to the OVC All-Freshmen team.

Three more sophomores -- setter Brenna Harper, middle blocker Emily Wahlman and outside hitter Bobbi Carlile -- saw limited action last year but will be counted on to play bigger roles this season.

Gannon will also be looking for contributions from a freshmen recruiting class that includes setter Emily Scannell and outside hitters Suzanne Gundlach and Sarah Frost.

A big key for the Otahkians will be replacing Henken, a standout setter who was the 1999 OVC Player of the Year. Harper and Scannell will be called upon to try and fill the role that Henken handled so expertly.

"We have a unique situation in that we have a lot of experience in the hitting positions and inexperience in the setting position," said Gannon. "How our setters come along will be a big key, but I feel comfortable that they'll come through."

Southeast will play its first match of the 2000 season Friday at 5 p.m., facing Stephen F. Austin in the St. Louis Tournament. Saturday in the tourney, the Otahkians take on host St. Louis at 1 p.m. and Southwest Missouri at 5 p.m.

The Otahkians' first home action will be Sept. 11 when the University of Missouri comes to Cape Girardeau for Southeast's annual match at the Show Me Center. All other home matches are played at Houck Field House.

"We're looking forward to the season," said Gannon. "We know everybody in the OVC will be gunning for us. We'll be getting every team's best match, but we expect that every year. We know we have to be ready to play every night."

* The complete 2000 Southeast volleyball schedule appears in 'Scoreboard' on 2B.