Dec. 5, 2005

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - (Monday, December 5, 2005) The Redhawks gymnastics team opens up their 2006 season with a intra-squad meet on Tuesday, December 6 at 5:00 p.m. The meet will be held at the Redhawks practice facility in Parker Gymnasium on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University. The meet is open to the public and is free of charge.

The meet will be run like a regular season meet with the team split into two different squads and official gymnastics judges will score the meet.

After the meet those in attendance will have a chance to meet the members of the 2006 Redhawks team.

This year's team features a mixture of youth and experience. Six letterwinners return from a squad that finished with a record of 6-8 including 4-4 in dual meets and finished fourth at the Midwest Independent Conference Championships. However two of the team's top returnees will not compete this season due to preseason injuries.

Senior Tara Boldt (Lakeville, Minn./ T.A.G.S), the MIC's Co-Gymnast of the Year last season and a NCAA Regional qualifier and junior Lexie Hein (Appleton, Wis./ LaFleur's Gymnastics), one of the team's top all-around competitors will sit out the season.

But the team will be helped by the return of Brystol Powelski (Franklin, Wis./ Salto Gymnastics). Powelski was injured most of last season but is back and is expected to be one of the team's top all-around performers.

Senior Amanda Grimes (Lone Jack, Mo./ GAGE Gymnastics) will look to close out her career with a NCAA berth. The team's top floor performer she will be helped by the addition of Brogan Jacobsen to the coaching staff.

Jacobsen comes to the Redhawks from national power Brigham Young where she owns various school records.

Alison Ezell (Kansas City, Kan./ Alpha Omega) was named the MIC's Co-Newcomer of the Year and is expected to have a huge year especially on the bars and on her floor routine.

Sophomore Danyelle Aber (Gurnee, Ill./ Ultimate Gymnastics) rounds out the returnees. Aber had a breakout season as a freshman as she came on late in the year and was one of the team's better performers on the vault and bars.

Head Coach Tom Farden welcomes eight freshmen to this year's team. The class that Farden has brought in is one that he considers his best to date.

Look for Jennifer Dinan (Doniphan, Neb./Grand Island) and Chelsea Unold (Plymouth, Minn./Twin City Twisters) to contribute immediately on the vault and bars.

Erika Thomas (Harrisonville, Mo./Eagles) is a very talented specialist who will be looked upon early to perform on the uneven bars.

Five freshmen will compete for time in individual events as well as the all-around competition left vacant by the graduation of NCAA Regional qualifier Katie Bloom and the absence of Boldt and Hein.

Sandra Blake (Tri-Cities, Wash./Mid-Columbia), Maureen Grimaldi (Kansas City, Mo./Eagles), Alex King (Mendota Heights, Minn./T.A.G.S.), Starlyn Bell Schwartz (Pensacola, Fla./First City) and Kelsey Stauffer (San Antonio, Tex./USA Aerial Athletics) will all see action and provide depth that the team lacked last season.

The Redhawks will officially begin the season next month when they travel to Lexington, Kentucky to face national power Kentucky who head into the upcoming season with a preseason ranking of No. 23 in the country. The meet will take place on Saturday, January 14 2006 at 6:00 p.m. cst.