Sept. 7, 2000

CAPE GIRARDEAU - Former Southern Illinois University basketball standout Chris Lowery has been named an assistant basketball coach at Southeast Missouri State University.

Lowery played at SIU from 1991-94 on teams that advanced to two NIT tournaments and two NCAA tournaments.

After graduating from SIU with a degree in exercise physiology, Lowery became an assistant coach at Rend Lake Community College from 1995-97. Rend Lake's 1995-96 team advancing to the NJCAA Division II Illinois regional finals.

The past three seasons, Lowery has been an assistant coach at Missouri Southern State College. Last season, Missouri Southern was 30-3, won the MIAA regular and post-season titles, won the NCAA II South Central Region and advanced to the national semi-finals.

"I feel very fortunate to be able to attract a coach the caliber of Chris Lowery," said Southeast coach Gary Garner. "He has an excellent background of being with winning programs. He was highly recommended by the coaches he played for and worked for as an assistant.

"Lowery is familiar with our recruiting territory. He is originally from Evansville, Ind. and recruited in Indiana, Missouri and Illinois while an assistant at Rend Lake and Missouri Southern."

Lowery, who is married with two children, begins his duties at Southeast on Sept. 7.