Nov. 2, 2001

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - The Southeast Missouri State Otahkian basketball team has completed its coaching staff with the hiring of Tameka Randle as announced by head coach Ed Arnzen on Friday.

"We're very happy to have Tameka as an assistant coach at Southeast," Otahkian Head Coach Ed Arnzen said. "We feel very fortunate to have someone of her quality, especially this late in the year. She was an excellent post player ant Eastern Michigan and we think she will help out our post a lot."

Randle graduated from EMU in April of 2000 with a Bachelor of Science degree with certifications in language arts and elementary education. Since graduation, Randle has held several different positions. During the summer of 2000 she was a teen camp counselor for the Ann Arbor Public Schools. Following the summer of 2000 she worked at Gretchen's House childcare center, coached girl's basketball for the Willow Run Community Schools, and she also officiated youth basketball for the Ann Arbor Public Schools.

Randle joins the Otahkian staff after completing a four-year playing career at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti. At EMU, Randle walked on the 1994 women's basketball team and then earned a four-year scholarship. During her four years she started 36 games, ranked 15th in EMU history for all-time rebounding and earend the Wilma Rudolph Image Award and became a senior captain.

A native of Cleveland, Ohio and a 1994 graduate of Rhodes High School, Randle was a standout athlete in high school earning most valuable player awards and captaining both the basketball and track teams during her senior year.

Randle's main responsibilities with the Otahkians include travel, film exchange, equipment and the student managers. Randle fills the third assistant position vacated by Ann Klapperich who left the program at the beginning of the school year.