RYAN NAMED SEMO WOMEN'S NET COACH

Donna Ryan is happy to be shedding her `interim' tag with Southeast Missouri State University's women's tennis program.

Ryan, who served as the Otahkians' interim coach last season, has had that title dropped from her job description. Thursday, she was named the Otahkians' coach for the 1998-99 season.

"I really am excited," said Ryan, "When I did the interim thing, I had no intention of doing it after that. But I really liked it. I liked the girls and the whole idea of setting up a program.

"We're going to do some exciting and new things this year. I'm looking forward to it."

Ryan has been the director of tennis at Universal Health and Fitness in Cape Girardeau since 1990. Prior to that, she was an assistant tennis professional at Terrell Mill Tennis Center in Marietta, Ga., for eight years.

Ryan, who originally replaced Marl Reid last season after Reid left to become the tennis coach at Eastern Illinois, led the Otahkians to a 6-8 record and a sixth-place Ohio Valley Conference finish a year ago.

The Otahkians will return all but one of their players from last year's team, which has Ryan excited about the coming season.

"We've got high hopes for the season," she said. "We're going to work really hard, do some different things, and maybe we can start to climb in the OVC standings."

Ryan's husband, Richard, who has also been very involved in local tennis circles, will one again help out his wife with the Southeast program.

The Otahkians open the fall season Sept. 25 in the St. Louis University Tournament. The spring season begins March 30 with a home match against Harding University.