THE LATEST LINE: SEMO VOLLEYBALL DYNASTY ROLLS ON WITH PERFECT OVC MARK

Talk about a dynasty. What Southeast Missouri State University's volleyball team has accomplished over the past decade is something to behold, and there doesn't appear to be any end in sight.

The Otahkians recently won their eighth regular-season OVC championship since joining the league 10 years ago. And as an added bonus, Saturday they wrapped up an undefeated conference season, blitzing through the league with a perfect 16-0 record and losing just three total games.

It has been another remarkable season for coach Cindy Gannon's squad, and it definitely isn't over yet. SEMO will set its sights on a third consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament next weekend when it hosts the OVC tourney.

And as far as the dynasty being extended next season, the Otahkians do lose their two best players -- and arguably the top two offensive performers in the OVC -- in seniors Krista Haukap and Lea Beckemeyer, along with a third solid senior, Rachelle Knapp.

But all the other players are underclassmen, and Gannon has proven over the years that she never rebuilds, she simply reloads, which probably isn't a pleasant thought for the rest of the OVC.

Congratulations to the Otahkians on winning yet another OVC regular-season title and here's hoping an NCAA Tournament three-peat is in their future.

* It seems like only yesterday that SEMO's basketball Indians were cutting down the nets at the OVC Tournament and then almost upsetting LSU in the first round of the NCAA tourney.

But Indian fans can rejoice: SEMO's 2000-01 season will officially tip off in less than a week as Truman State pays a visit to the Show Me Center Friday night.

So, you ask, what kind of a year am I looking for the Indians to have?

Well, first of all, there's no question it will be extremely hard to top the accomplishments of last year, but coach Gary Garner believes this team has the potential to be his best SEMO squad yet, although he emphasized the word potential, meaning the Indians have a long way to go before being a solid club. And he emphasized that the Indians simply aren't very good yet, although he expects them to be eventually.

Still, you've got to be excited about the Indians' chances this season, based on where Garner and his staff have taken the program in such a short period of time.

* SEMO's women's basketball team also has high hopes for the season, which officially begins Friday as the Otahkians host Missouri Baptist prior to the men's game.

That the Indians will receive plenty of fan support is a given, but here's hoping the Otahkians will see improved fan interest this year.

* Former SEMO football star Angel Rubio was recently drafted by the Las Vegas Outlaws of the new XFL, an eight-team league scheduled to begin play in February.

Rubio, a defensive lineman who last played for SEMO in 1997, has spent a couple of years on NFL rosters, although he has seen very little playing time. He began this year with the Arizona Cardinals but was released just prior to the start of the campaign and was not picked up by any other team.

* Congratulations to colleague Bob Miller for winning his first Southeast Missourian Weekly Media Grid Picks title.

Bob used a big final week to edge Erik Sean for the crown, finishing at 83-17 compared to Erik's 82-18.

I was third at 81-19 (I haven't won this thing in a while and it's really starting to upset me), followed by Jeff Breer (80-20), Mike Legg (79-21) and Steve Sotak (73-27).

Hope everybody again had fun following the picks (and didn't take them too seriously) and we'll do it again next year.