THE LATEST LINE: SEMO'S FIRST FEMALE SOCCER SQUAD READY TO BIGIN PLAY

The entire country got caught up in a women's soccer frenzy recently in following America's thrilling victory in the World Cup.

Southeast Missouri State University hopes to capitalize at least partly on that enthusiasm when the school puts its first women's soccer team on the field in 1999.

Will area soccer enthusiasts -- of which there are plenty, based on the levels of participation from youth leagues all the way up to high schools -- get on the bandwagon and support the Otahkians, or will the squad basically play in front of close friends and relatives?

Only time will tell -- and that time is almost here.

Although the 13-game regular season doesn't begin until late August, the Otahkians will have three exhibition contests, including Tuesday's 4 p.m. home match with the St. Louis Busch Soccer Club at the Sprigg Street Field.

From all indications, SEMO will field a highly competitive team that could be a contender in the Ohio Valley Conference.

Accomplished coach Heather Nelson, who directed the Florida State program the past four seasons and is also a former coach with the Canadian National Team, signed some impressive recruits who should help the Otahkians have a solid inaugural season.

While it's doubtful that overflow crowds will turn out for games this year, there should be enough interest -- and enough of a local flavor, with Cape Central's Nichole Thiele and Rachel Hessenkemper, Jackson's Dana Eakins and Perryville's Becky Naeger on the squad -- that the Otahkians will definitely have their share of followers.

They definitely work as hard as other athletes on campus and certainly deserve fan support.

* Football practice in the area is definitely heating up, on both the college and high school levels.

SEMO has entered full-contact drills as the Indians began their second week of workouts. Prep squads are also into their second week of practice.

* Just a couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of meeting up with NBA player Tyrone Nesby for the first time while he was helping run a basketball camp in his home town of Cairo, Ill.

Nesby came across as extremely personable, down to earth and grateful for his opportunity. I really enjoyed the interview.

That's why I was delighted when Nesby became a millionaire several days ago. He signed a three-year, 8.9 million dollar contract with the Los Angeles Clippers, who retained his rights by matching the offer of the world champion San Antonio Spurs.

That's certainly not a bad deal for an undrafted free agent who at this time last year was wondering if he'd ever even get a shot at the NBA.

Now Nesby, one of the NBA's top rookies last season with the Clippers, has become one of the league's rising stars.

* Cape Central product Craig Ringwald, who redshirted during his freshman baseball season this past year at Baylor, has transferred to Three Rivers Community College in Poplar Bluff.

Ringwald is a 6-foot-7 left-handed pitcher.

~Marty Mishow is a sports writer for the Southeast Missourian