Aug. 15, 2006

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Southeast Missouri State gymnastics was recognized by the National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches (NACGC) as a 2006 NACGC Academic Team for their work in the classroom and maintaining a high standard in academics during the 2005-06 season. In addition to the team accolades, eight Redhawk gymnasts were honored by the NACGC for individual academic excellence with NACGC Scholar Athletes awards.

It marks the seventh consecutive year that the Redhawks have received the team honors. It is also the first time in school annals that Southeast has posted a top-five showing by finishing fifth. Overall, the team tallied a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.54, better than the previous team GPA of 3.15 set during the 2004-05 school year.

Graduating senior Tara Boldt, seniors Lexie Hein (Appleton, Wis./GAGE Gymnastics) and Brystol Powelski (Franklin, Wis./ Salto Gymnastics) and sophomores Sandra Blake (Tri-Cities, Wash./Mid-Columbia), Jennifer Dinan (Doniphan, Neb./Grand Island), Maureen Grimaldi (Kansas City, Mo./Eagles), Kelsey Stauffer (San Antonio, Tex./USA Aerial Athletics) and Chelsea Unold (Plymouth, Minn./Twin City Twisters) were honored as NACGC Scholar Athletes.

Boldt (3.6) and Powelski (3.70) each received their third consecutive award, while Hein (3.53) was honored for the second time in her collegiate career. Blake and Grimaldi each earned their first honor after posting with a perfect 4.0 GPA, which ranks the highest on the team. Joining Blake and Grimaldi as first time honorees were Dinan (3.89), Unold (3.80) and Stauffer (3.87). The eight individual awards mark the most the Redhawks have received since the 1999-2000 season when seven gymnasts were honored.

Southeast's head coach Tom Farden has now coached 24 NACGC Scholar Athletes during his four seasons at the helm.

In order to be considered as an individual scholar athlete, the student-athlete must post a current year or cumulative GPA of 3.50 or better.

"We are extremely pleased with our top five national academic ranking," Farden said. "Last year was a tremendous year for Southeast gymnastics. We worked hard in the gym and classroom and I am proud of the team's achievements."

The Redhawks closed the 2006 season with a third-place finish at the Midwest Independent Conference Championships and earned their first NCAA Regional berth since the 1997 campaign. Farden was named MIC Coach of the Year, while Blake earned the conference's Gymnast of the Year and Newcomer of the Year awards.