Women's tennis team opens season Sunday

Southeast Missouri State University second-year women's tennis coach Jay Pacelli isn't about to predict an Ohio Valley Conference championship.

But Pacelli does predict considerable improvement this season for a program that has been down in the dumps and went just 1-21 in 2004.

"I am very optimistic about the program," Pacelli said. "Whenever you take over a struggling program it's going to take time, and I'm not a coach to make bold predictions. But we were 1-21 last year, and I can guarantee we'll do better than that."

Southeast opens Sunday at Arkansas-Little Rock, the first of eight indoor matches to begin the season. The first of six outdoor home dates will be March 5 against Tennessee State.

Pacelli last year took over a program that has ranked among the OVC's worst squads for much of the past decade -- Southeast has not had a winning overall record since 1997. With virtually no time to recruit, Southeast was routed in most of its matches while finishing 10th among 11 OVC teams and failed to make the OVC tournament's eight-team field.

But Pacelli believes the players he has recruited for this season -- along with two holdovers -- are talented, although young. Many of them were impressive while competing in three tournaments during a brief fall schedule.

"We had some really good victories in the fall and some really close losses, which is indicative of a young team," Pacelli said. "But we have a talented squad that I think will definitely challenge for a spot in the OVC tournament."

Leading the group of first-year performers are freshmen twins Bryce and Drew Kristal, both decorated junior players from California. They will hold down the top two singles positions and form Southeast's No. 1 doubles team.

Daniela Garcia, the squad's lone senior who hails from Peru and missed all of last season with a shoulder injury, will play at No. 3 singles and team with sophomore Ashley Hooper at No. 2 doubles.

Hooper, a transfer from Nicholls State and a native of Canada, will battle with returning sophomore Kim Anderson for the fourth and fifth singles positions. Anderson is a former standout at Jackson High School.

Rounding out the squad are freshmen Kim Roberts from Canada, Puja Paul from India and Miranda Petrea, an Illinois native. They will challenge for the sixth singles position, and the No. 3 doubles spot is still also up for grabs.

"Our main goal is to be in the top eight of the conference and make the tournament, and to challenge and win some OVC matches, which I think we can do," Pacelli said. "We're so young, the key is how quick they adapt to college tennis, but I'm very optimistic about the season and the future."

Southeast has been able to practice indoors by leasing the two courts at the former Universal Health & Fitness Center from Midamerica Hotels Corp. The lease runs for two months, through March 10.

"It's a good situation for us because we really had no other option," Pacelli said. "Otherwise, we would have probably had to go to Carbondale to practice."

Connolly in all-star game

Southeast senior Dan Connolly, who wrapped up an impressive college football career in November, will hit the gridiron Saturday as a member of the East squad during the Las Vegas All-American Classic.

Connolly, an offensive lineman who was a four-year starter for Southeast, will participate in the game that begins at 3 p.m. and will be televised by Fox Sports Midwest.

"I haven't played in a game since the season ended, so it should be a lot of fun to get out there again," Connolly said.

Connolly is scheduled to start at tackle and will wear No. 74. He is one of 30 non-Division I-A players who will participate out of 110 total players selected.

Connolly has also been invited to the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis in late February. He is regarded as a probable NFL draft choice.

"I think Dan has an excellent chance to be drafted and how well he plays in the all-star game and performs at the combine will be a big factor," Southeast offensive line coach Mike Chavez said. "The pro scouts love Mike's athletic ability."

Gymnastics home opener

Southeast's gymnastics team, which opened the season with a victory last Saturday, will have its first home meet Saturday when Centenary visits Houck Field House for a 4 p.m. matchup.

All Girl Scouts will be admitted free.

Southeast began the campaign by outpointing host Illinois State 187.225 to 185.300.

"We opened up two points higher than we did last year. I was absolutely pleased, but we have some work to do," Southeast coach Tom Farden said. "We had some really good individual performances, and now we have to keep building on that.

"We're really excited for our first home meet, and hopefully we'll have a good crowd."

Saturday's meet will mark the squad's first competition under the Redhawks mascot. Farden said his team has new leotards, warmups and jump suits ready for the historic occasion.

"We're really excited about being the Redhawks," Farden said.

Track resumes competition

Southeast's track teams, after having more than a month off from actual competition, will resume their indoor seasons Friday and Saturday at the Southern Illinois Invitational in Carbondale, Ill.

Southeast competed in two meets prior to the holiday break and came away with a host of impressive performances. Coach Joey Haines will be counting on more of the same as his squads will now compete every week leading up to the OVC Championships in late February.

"We're looking to come back strong after the break," Haines said.