Southeast Missouri State football adds home-and-home series with Southeastern Lousiana

Southeast Missouri State is one step closer to finalizing its 2013 football schedule after Wednesday's announcement that the Redhawks will open the season Aug. 29 at Southeastern Louisiana.

The Thursday night game in Hammond, La., is part of a home-and-home series between the Football Championship Subdivision programs that have never met before. The Lions will visit Southeast in 2014 to complete the series.

"We are in the process of finalizing our 2013 football schedule and wanted to take advantage of playing 12 games next year," Southeast director of athletics Mark Alnutt said in a release. "This allows us to schedule a quality nonconference opponent from another competitive FCS league such as the Southland."

Southeastern went 5-6 overall and 5-2 in league play en route to a third-place finish in the Southland Conference last season. The Lions ended the campaign on a two-game winning streak.

Two of Southeast's other nonconference games for 2013 previously had been set. The Redhawks are slated to visit Mississippi on Sept. 7 in their annual "money" game to generate revenue for the athletic department -- Southeast reportedly will receive $375,000 -- and host SIU Carbondale Sept. 21.

Alnutt said Southeast is looking to fill its nonconference schedule with a non-Division I opponent at home.

The Redhawks will play their normal eight-game Ohio Valley Conference schedule.

Gymnastics

The Southeast gymnastics team has one more tuneup before it gets the 2013 season started.

Southeast is hosting its annual meet and greet intrasquad at 6:30 p.m. today at Houck Field House. Admission is free and fans will receive free popcorn. Southeast is also giving away 2013 gymnastics posters and gymnasts will sign autographs following the meet.

The Redhawks will run through their entire lineup in all four events today, one week before opening the season at Lindenwood on Jan. 18.

"This meet will be a stepping stone in our training as we begin the competition season," Southeast coach Kristi Ewasko said in a release. "We are looking to see exactly where we are at and work on the small areas that need some fine tuning. This team has made some changes during preseason and we are excited to debut upgraded routines in front of a local crowd."

-- From staff reports