Southeast gymnastics program takes academic honor for third year in a row

The Southeast Missouri State gymnastics program again is tops in the country when it comes to academics.

It was announced Wednesday that the Redhawks earned the National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches/Women National Academic Team Championship for the third straight year.

The Redhawks posted a 3.91 grade-point average for the 2008-2009 academic year, bolstered by 14 individuals with perfect 4.0 GPAs. All 17 Southeast gymnasts earned Scholastic All-American status as a result of 3.5 or better GPAs.

Southeast's 3.91 GPA is the highest in program history as the Redhawks became only the second team to win the award three years in a row. Southern Utah had captured the award six straight years before Southeast ended the streak in 2007.

"We are very pleased with our commitment to academic excellence," Southeast coach Tom Farden said in a news release. "To receive this prestigious honor three straight years says a lot about our team and its ability to set the standard high and succeed as student- athletes."

Southeast also secured its first Midwest Independent Conference title under Farden after going 14-3 overall and 11-0 in MIC action last season.

Farden said the athletes carry difficult majors such as communication disorders, premed, biology, biochemistry and physics.

"I am proud to tell our fans about the difficult majors our students have chosen and how they have excelled both in competition and in the classroom," Farden said.

Southern Utah finished second in the team GPA at 3.68, well behind Southeast. Rounding out the top five were Michigan State (3.65), Alabama (3.56) and Hamline (3.55).

"It's a tribute to coach Farden and the young women of the Southeast Missouri State gymnastics team," Southeast director of athletics John Shafer said. "It's unbelievable a team can win this award once, let alone three times in a row. This is great for our department and university."

Southeast gymnasts with perfect 4.0 GPAs were Sandra Blake, Jennifer Dinan, Lauren Dinan, Brianna Gaddie, Kara Gibbons, Jacqueline Heath, Kelley Krengiel, Emily Mann, Erica Moore, Amanda Schoenbaum, Starlyn Schwartz, Christa Soekamto, Christina Sundgren and Bryanna Wong.

In other Southeast gymnastics news, construction of a new practice facility is underway.

The project, funded by Vince and Jan Kelley, includes a state-of-the-art practice facility and coaches' offices, which will be added to the first floor of Parker Gymnasium. Parker currently houses the Redhawks' locker room, coaches' offices and practice areas.

Completion of the project is slated for later this month.

Volleyball honored

The Southeast volleyball team also recently gained national recognition for its academics.

For the second straight year and sixth time in the past eight years, the American Volleyball Coaches Association named the Redhawks among 71 NCAA Division I programs to receive the AVCA Team Academic Award for the 2008-2009 school year.

A team must have at least a 3.30 cumulative GPA during the academic year to earn the award. The Redhawks finished with a 3.45 GPA.

Nine Southeast players had a GPA better than 3.0, with Molly Davis, Alyssa Aston and Paige Dossey all claiming a perfect 4.0.

-- From staff reports