Southeast prepared for today's home finale

Ashley Godwin has had all kinds of individual success during her Southeast Missouri State University career, and she will go down as one of the most decorated gymnasts in school history.

But Godwin has never enjoyed a year more than this one, primarily because the Otahkians as a team are having their best season in years. Southeast is off to a 9-2 start under interim coach Tom Farden after going 8-13 in 2003 and 32-50 over the past four years. Their last winning season was a 14-8 mark in 1998.

"I'm ecstatic. It's great. We are doing wonderful," Godwin said. "I think we expected to do well this year, but it's always nice to be doing this good. I really wanted us to do well as a team in my last season."

Godwin and the Otahkians will look to keep things rolling today when they have their last home meet, taking on Illinois State at 1 p.m. Everybody 18 and under will be admitted free.

Today's contest will mark the final Houck Field House appearances for Godwin and Jacklyn Doebbler, the squad's only seniors. Junior Traci Jo Flippo, who is scheduled to graduate in May and plans to attend dental school next year, also will participate in her last home meet.

"The last home meet, we definitely want to go out with a bang," Godwin said.

It's almost been difficult to keep up with the accomplishments of Godwin, an NCAA regional qualifier the last two years who appears headed toward that distinction again this season.

Godwin, from Cape Coral, Fla., recently recorded just the sixth perfect score of 10 in school history, attaining the feat in the floor exercise. During the same meet, Godwin's 9.925 on the uneven bars tied the school mark.

In scores posted last season, Godwin had already set the school's all-around (39.550) and balance beam (9.975) records.

"It's a fun feeling to have those records, but I never would have thought I would have had that much of an impact," she said.

Said Farden, a Southeast assistant coach the previous four seasons: "Ashley will probably go down as the most prolific gymnast in the program's history. And believe it or not I recruited her as a tumbler and a vaulter. I didn't think she was that good on beam or bars, but lo and behold she comes out as a freshman and becomes an all-arounder."

Godwin, who is majoring in exercise science and would like to ultimately do some kind of therapy work, is thrilled the Otahkians have also posted some of the program's best-ever scores and are in contention to qualify for regionals as a team.

"We're like five-tenths of a point out of the last qualifying spot and I think we've got a chance to make it if we can keep having good scores," she said. "That's really exciting."

While Doebbler, who has suffered through several injuries during her Southeast career, has not nearly matched Godwin in individual accomplishments, Farden said she has been just as valuable in other areas.

"She has made so many contributions," Farden said. "She just has a heart of gold and is willing to do whatever it takes to help our other student-athletes along.

"I recruited both of them and the growth they've provided for this turnaround with the program has been tremendous"

Said Doebbler, who is from Austin, Texas, "It's been rough at times with the injuries, but what the team is doing this year is great, so much fun. It's a good way to end. We're going out with a bang."

Farden also had high praise for Flippo, a native of Chattanooga, Tenn., who like Doebbler was recently honored as a Southeast Scholar-Athlete.

"She could come back and compete another year, but she's going to graduate and she's got a bright future with dental school," Farden said. "All three have been wonderful for our program. I hope that a lot of fans show their appreciation and support by coming out to the meet."