SOUTHEAST HONORS ITS SCHOLAR ATHLETES

Southeast Missouri State University athletes who excel not only on the playing fields but in the classroom were celebrated Friday during the school's annual Scholar Athlete Luncheon at the University Center.

A total of 114 student-athletes with a 3.0 or higher cumulative grade-point average were honored. That figure ranks as the second-largest group in school history, topped only by last year's 121 honorees. The scholar athletes represent 44 percent of the student-athletes at Southeast.

Also honored at the luncheon were nine cheerleaders, four Sundancers and six student athletic trainers.

Eight athletes had perfect 4.0 cumulative grade-point averages: Derek Winans (basketball); Emily Scannell and Suzanne Gundlach (volleyball); Jennifer Burke and Laura VanHoevelaak (track); Amy Thompson (softball); Key Ehlke (tennis); and Jen Cross (soccer).

Verizon Academic All-American third-team volleyball player Krista Haukap was recognized, along with Verizon Academic All-District selections Isaac Powell in football and Amy Arteme in cross country.

Ohio Valley Conference Medal of Honor winners for the 1999-2000 school year were also recognized. OVC Medal of Honors are given annually to the student-athlete who achieves the highest GPA in a conference-sponsored sport.

Southeast claimed a league-high 12 Medals of Honor. Arteme, VanHoevelaak, Jessie Thompson and Tammy Wenkel were winners in both track and cross country while other winners were track athletes Katie Gilbert, Toby Raney and Becky Shull, along with volleyball player Jackie (Derwort) Haines.

In addition, Southeast had 92 student-athletes named to the OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll that required a 3.2 cumulative GPA.

A complete list of the Southeast Scholar Athletes is in Scoreboard.'