OTAHKS SHOOT FOR NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

Southeast Missouri State University women's gymnastics coach Bill Hopkins knows qualifying for the NCAA Championships would be somewhat of an upset.

But Hopkins also believes his squad has a legitimate shot at making the elite 12-team field for the first time ever.

Hopkins and the Otahkians will shoot for that coveted national berth tonight when the seven-team NCAA Central Regional is held in Ann Arbor, Mich.

"I feel like we definitely are closer to the big guns than we've ever been," said Hopkins. "Just getting to regionals is a major accomplishment. It's going to be tough (to qualify for nationals), but I think we have a legitimate shot."

Southeast qualified fourth out of the seven Central Regional teams with a qualifying average of well over 194 points per meet.

The three teams that qualified ahead of the Otahkians -- Michigan, Alabama and LSU -- are all ranked among the top five teams in the nation. Southeast is ranked 13th nationally.

Five regional meets will be held across the country, with the champion from each automatically qualifying for nationals. After that, the seven highest-scoring teams combined from the five regionals qualify with at-large berths.

"It's going to be extremely difficult to qualify," Hopkins said. "I think we'll need at least 195 something to qualify. We've been there a few times, so it's within our reach. But they'll tighten things up so we need to really hit, like against Eastern Michigan, when we hit 26 out of 27.

"The key is to make fewer mistakes than we have all year. We're going to have to have the best meet we possibly can."

Southeast certainly appears capable of scoring well enough to contend for a national berth. The Otahkians have had a sensational season by any standards.

Entering the 1997 campaign, the Otahkians' school record was a little less than 195. Their average score this season is higher than their previous school record and they've broken the school mark three different times this year, including a high score of 196.025 March 14 against Iowa.

"It's been an unbelievable season so far," said Hopkins. "And the good thing is we've only lose one senior in Kate Farrington. She's had a tremendous career and we'll miss her, but we'll have everybody else back, plus our new recruits."

Farrington, who ranks ninth nationally in floor exercise, has scored a perfect 10 in her last three meets and she owns four of the five scores of 10 in Southeast history.

Erin Chenier, who has the other 10, recently set the school's all-around record with a score of 39.525. She is ranked 17th nationally in all-around.

The Otahkians' other nationally-ranked gymnast is freshman Malia Roberts, who is 23rd on floor.

While the Otahkians will be looking for success tonight, Hopkins said they're also keeping in mind the big picture. Southeast is also gearing up for next Saturday's National Invitational Tournament. The Otahkians figure to enter that event as the top seed.

"Our main goal is to do well (in the regionals) and get ready for the NIT," said Hopkins. "Our goal at the beginning of the season was to be in both the regionals and the NIT and we've accomplished that."

Still, Hopkins doesn't rule out of a national qualifying performance tonight.

"This is easily our best shot we've ever had to qualify," he said. "We'll see what happens."

NCAA Central Regional

Where: Ann Arbor, Mich.

When: Today, 6 p.m.

Teams: Michigan, Alabama, Louisiana State, Southeast Missouri, Minnesota, Iowa State, Michigan State.

At stake: Each of the five regional winners nationwide automatically qualify for NCAA Championships. The next seven highest-scoring teams also qualify.