Redhawks coach recovering from car accident

Southeast Missouri State assistant women's basketball coach Chris Harris said Monday that John Ishee appears to be on his way to a solid recovery.

Ishee, Southeast's third-year coach, was involved in an automobile accident Sunday morning in St Louis County.

Ishee, who was injured, has been hospitalized in St. Louis since Sunday.

Harris said he was told there was a good chance Ishee, who suffered no broken bones, would be moving out of ICU to a regular room some time Monday.

"I think all his tests are looking pretty good," said Harris, who will handle the coaching duties during tonight's Ohio Valley Conference tournament game at Tennessee State. "The nurse said all of his vital signs, body movement, fingers and toes, look good.

"He's sore and they're giving him some pain medication, but the doctors and nurses seem optimistic he'll be all right."

Harris said he and Southeast's other two assistants, Jayme Callahan and Elizabeth Cansdale, all visited Ishee on Sunday.

Harris said he returned to the hospital early Monday morning before heading back to Cape Girardeau in time to board the bus at noon for the trip to Nashville, Tenn., for tonight's game.

"We talked about game plans, our team and stuff like that," Harris said. "Coach Cansdale stayed up there [Monday] and will drive to the game [today].

"We've all been in pretty close contact with him. We're all very worried about him, as are the players."

A news release issued by the university Sunday night said Ishee would be held for observation and testing for 48 hours.

"I think what they're doing is more precautionary than anything," Harris said. "He seems to be doing pretty good, even better when I saw him [Monday] than when I was with him Sunday. Hopefully he'll be back home soon."

If the Redhawks win tonight, they'll advance to Friday's tournament semifinals in Nashville. Harris said it's too early to speculate whether Ishee would be able to rejoin the squad for that contest.

"It's all up in the air," Harris said. "We're just trying to get him healthy."

Harris said he did not know specifically what Ishee was doing in St. Louis.