Southeast Missouri vs. Illinois State
Meet Information
Date: Friday, Jan. 12, 2018
Time: 6:30 p.m., CT
Location: Cape Girardeau, Mo.  
Venue: Houck Field House
Series: SEMO leads All-Time Series 59-31
Coaches: Brittney Emmons (Second Season, First as HC);
Bob Conkling (13th Season)
 
Media Coverage
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
 
vs. Lindenwood
Meet Information
Date: Monday, Jan. 15, 2018
Time: 4 p.m., CT
Location: Cape Girardeau, Mo.  
Venue: Houck Field House
Series: Lindenwood leads All-Time Series 7-4
Coaches: Brittney Emmons (Second Season, First as HC);
Jen Llewellyn (Sixth Season, Fifth as HC)
 
Media Coverage
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
 
Follow the Redhawks on Twitter for in-match updates @SEMOGymnastics.
Meet Notes: Southeast Missouri
 
Redhawks Meet Redbirds in Home Opener
Southeast Missouri women's gymnastics takes on MIC foe, Illinois State, in its home opener, Friday night at Houck Field House at 6:30 p.m., CT. The meet is the first of two straight home contests for SEMO.
 
MLK Dual Against Lindenwood
The Redhawks continue their homestand with a dual meet against the reigning three-time Midwest Independent Conference (MIC) Champion, Lindenwood, on Martin Luther King Day, Monday, Jan. 15 at Houck Field House at 4:30 p.m., CT. 
 
Promos
Friday, Jan. 12
• All teams participating in this weekend's SEMO Classic Gymnastics Meet receive free admission to Friday's Redhawks meet against Illinois State.
• Post meet autographs.
Monday, Jan. 15
• The first 100 women in attendance will receive a Redhawks wristlet.
• The first 100 fans to enter Houck Field House will also receive a set of trading cards showcasing the Redhawk freshmen gymnasts.
• Post meet autographs.
 
Looking at the Opponents
Illinois State opened its season against Mid-American Conference preseason favorite Central Michigan. The Redbirds lost to CMU, 196.375-191.600, but sophomore Gabrielle Cooke won the all-around competition with a score of 38.675 aided by a 9.850 on floor, a 9.775 on vault and a 9.700 on bars. Junior Meredith LaRoche finished second in the all-around behind Cooke with 37.875. ISU finished third at the MIC Championship in 2017.
 
Lindenwood begins its 2018 season on Friday, Jan. 12 against Texas Woman's in Denton, Texas. The Lady Lions won the MIC Championship in 2017 for the third straight season and finished third in the USA Gymnastics Women's Collegiate Team Finals.
 
Kentucky Quad Recap
Southeast commenced the 2018 campaign at #6-ranked Kentucky with a total score of 189.675 for fourth at its quad meet against Ball State, George Washington and Kentucky. Freshman Lindsey Bates finished sixth in the all-around with a score of 37.650. Senior Alexis Brawner led the Redhawks with back-to-back scores of 9.800 on floor and vault in the first two rotations. Freshman Gabrielle Adams recorded a 9.750 on vault for her first career score of 9.7000 or higher at the collegiate level. Junior McKinzie Jones led SEMO on bars with a 9.675 and added a 9.750 for second behind Brawner on floor.
 
Lindenwood Redhawks Connection
Lindenwood assistant coach Ashley Lawson (formerly Godwin) returns to Southeast where she competed for the Redhawks gymnastics program from 2001 to 2004. Lawson holds program records in uneven bars (9.925), balance beam (9.975), floor exercise (10.000) and all-around (39.550). She also won the MIC uneven bars title in 2002 and balance beam, floor exercise and all-around MIC Championships in 2013. Lawson represented SEMO at the NCAA Regionals in the all-around competition in 2002, 2003 and 2004. She also finished second on floor in 2003.
 
Roster Breakdown
The Redhawks are relatively young with seven freshmen and five sophomores. Top returners for Southeast include 2017 MIC All-Around and Vault Champion, Alexis Brawner, McKenna Stanley along with juniors Allyson Bell and McKinzie Jones. Brawner earned MIC Gymnast of the Year in 2016 and represented SEMO at the NCAA Regionals in the all-around competition the past two seasons. She also leads the Redhawks with 95 career scores of 9.700 or better.
 
2017 in Review
SEMO placed fifth at the MIC Championship in 2017 behind Lindenwood, Texas Woman's, Illinois State and Illinois-Chicago. The Redhawks will look to improve on their 8-16 overall record. Southeast had a team regional qualifying score of 192.330.
 
Looking Ahead
After Monday's meet against Lindenwood the Redhawks have a break from competition for a little over a week. SEMO travels to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for back-to-back meets on Friday, Jan. 26 and Sunday, Jan. 28. Southeast first faces Penn on Friday and then participates in a quad meet on Sunday against Cornell, Ithaca and host school, Temple.