Feb. 19, 2004

Cape Girardeau, MO - A record 144 student-athletes at Southeast Missouri State University have been honored as Southeast Scholar Athletes for having a 3.0 or higher cumulative grade point average. The previous high was 136 in 2002.

The 144 student-athletes represent 52% of the 278 student-athletes at Southeast and that percentage is also a new school record.

In addition to the 144 athletes, 13 cheerleaders, seven Sundancers and 12 student athletic trainers were also honored as Southeast Scholar Athletes.

"It is a tremendous accomplishment for over half of our student-athletes to have over a 3.0 cumulative grade point average," said Don Kaverman, Southeast Director of Athletics. "Our coaches continue to recruit students who perform well athletically and academically. Our athletes are students first and athletes second."

A record 16 student-athletes have a perfect 4.0 cumulative grade point average. They include cross country and track runners Jennifer Burke, Juanita Coleman, Kim Krieger, Melissa Moody, Heather West, Kris Woolf, and Quincy Ezealah; baseball player Matt Carter; football player Matt Boyack; basketball player Derek Winans; women's basketball player Jessica Aebi; tennis players Kay Ehlke and Rebecca Prendergast; and soccer players Molli Beard, Jen Cross and Jessica Wullner.

The men's cross country team had the highest team cumulative GPA with a 3.517 followed closely by the women's cross country team with a 3.434.

Female student-athletes continue to excel in the classroom with 72% of the female athletes having a 3.0 or higher cumulative GPA. The overall grade point average for all student-athletes at Southeast is 2.991.

During a Wednesday luncheon at the University Center, sponsored by Southeast Missouri Hospital, Southeast also honored 17 recipients of the Ohio Valley Conference Academic Medals of Honor that go to the student-athletes with the highest grade point average in a conference sponsored sport.

OVC Medal of Honor winners included Derek Winans in men's basketball, Jennifer Burke, Kim Krieger, Kris Woolf and Emily Zimmerman in women's cross country and track, Matt Boyack in football, Jen Cross and Lauren Fabbro in women's soccer, Kay Ehlke in tennis, Brian Whitehead in men's cross country and track, Emily Wahlman in volleyball and Laura VanHoevelaak in women's track.

VanHoevelaak, now a graduate student at Southeast, was also honored as the 2002-2003 Southeast NCAA Woman of the Year.

Track runner Chad Sierman and women's basketball player Carina Souza were honored for being nominated for the OVC Scholar Athlete Award.