Feb. 21, 2005

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - (Monday, February 21, 2005) The Southeast Missouri State gymnastics team is ranked 35th in the latest gymnastics national ranking poll as posted on Troester.com, the gymnastics website used to determine regional and national qualifiers for the NCAA Gymnastics Championship. The ranking is the highest ranking for a Southeast gymnastics team since the March 16, 1999 poll when Southeast was ranked 30th with a Regional Qualifying Score (RQS) of 193.4375.

The Redhawks (3-5, 2-2 MIC) moved up 14 spots from No. 49 in last week's poll with an RQS of 191.625. Their RQS was helped by a season-high score of 194.525 against Bowling Green and Wisconsin-Oshkosh this past Friday and a score of 193.025 vs. Kent State on Sunday.

Qualification for regional competition is based on a team's and an all-around competitor's six best regular-season-meet scores, of which three must be away. To obtain the regional qualifying score (RQS), the high score is eliminated and the remaining five scores are averaged.

Southeast's highest ranking came during the 1997 season when they were ranked as high as No. 16 on March 27 with an RQS of 195.092. They finished in the top-25 in the final polls with a ranking of No. 23.

Individually Tara Boldt (Lakeville, Minn./ T.A.G.S) ranks 44th in the country in the all-around with a RQS of 38.250.

"This is great for our program," said Head Coach Tom Farden. "Our record doesn't reflect the type of season we are having, but that goes to show you the high level of competition we are facing. In the end dual records don't determine whether you get that NCAA regional birth, it's your RQS so we need to continue on improving our score and the wins will come eventually."

The Redhawks still have five opponents on their remaining schedule that rank in the latest poll lead by No. 24 Missouri.

Four Midwest Independent Conference schools are ranked in the latest poll including Southeast. Illinois-Chicago (No. 30), Centenary (No. 42) and Texas Women's University (No. 45) are the others.

Louisiana State ranks No. 1 in the poll with a RQS of 196.575, followed by defending NCAA champion UCLA (196.465).

Michigan (196.365), Utah (196.350) and Nebraska (196.215) round-out the top-5.

The Redhawks return home this Saturday, February 26 with a dual meet against No. 55 Wisconsin-LaCrosse in the Houck Field House. The dual will start at 1:00 p.m.