Southeast names Ewasko gymnastics coach

Southeast Missouri State removed the interim tag from women's gymnastics coach Kristi Ewasko's title.

The university announced Monday that Ewasko has been named the Redhawks' coach after serving as their interim coach this past season. Ewasko was hired following a national search.

"I'm excited to name coach Ewasko the head women's gymnastics coach at Southeast," Southeast director of athletics John Shafer said in a release. "I believe she will continue the tradition of both a fine gymnastics and outstanding academic program."

Ewasko, a native of Monroe, La., spent one year as a Southeast assistant before she was promoted to interim coach in November after Tom Farden left to become an assistant at Arkansas.

Ewasko led the Redhawks to a 16-5 record, including a 9-2 Midwest Independent Conference mark. Southeast finished third at the MIC Championships and had two gymnasts, Jordan Salsberg and Brianna Gaddie, compete at the NCAA South Central Regional.

Academically, the Redhawks are in the running to win their fourth consecutive National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches/Women National Academic Team Championship, an award that will be announced this summer.

Last year, with Ewasko on Farden's staff, Southeast became only the second school in the nation to win the award three times in a row as the Redhawks posted a 3.91 grade-point average.

Ewasko thanked Shafer, associate director of athletics Cindy Gannon and university president Dr. Ken Dobbins "for giving me this opportunity. I look forward to continuing the success of our program. I think the leadership we have now and the talent of our young freshmen will help take Southeast gymnastics to new heights."

Ewasko is a former standout gymnast at Auburn who worked there as a volunteer coach from 2004 through 2008 before coming to Southeast.