Redhawks' Dossey selected academic All-American

Southeast Missouri State senior volleyball player Paige Dossey was named a third team Capital One Academic All-American on Thursday for her achievements on the court and in the classroom.  

Dossey, a native of Avon, Ind.,  appeared in all 33 matches for the Redhawks this season. She ranked second on the team in digs with 307 while adding 105 kills, 84 assists and 51 blocks. 

Dossey was a key piece of the Redhawks' resurgence this season. Southeast earned its first appearance in the Ohio Valley Conference tournament since 2008 and its first win in the tournament since 2006.

The Redhawks finished the regular season in fourth place in the OVC after being ranked ninth in the preseason coaches' poll.

Dossey, who carries a perfect 4.0 grade-point average in exceptional child education, is a three-time recipient of the OVC Medal of Honor and OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll. She also is a three-time Southeast Scholar Athlete.  

"Paige is such a great leader for this team both on and off the court. She does so many little things on the court that don't show up on the stat sheet, and the way she handles academics has set a great example for the rest of the team," Southeast coach Julie Folliard said.

To be eligible for Academic All-American consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00 and have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings.

Gymnastics tuneup

The Southeast Missouri State gymnastics team will have a final tuneup before winter break when it hosts its annual preseason challenge today.

The public is invited to attend the Redhawks' intrasquad meet, which begins at 4:30 p.m. at Parker Gymnasium.

"This is a great chance for the team to showcase their skills in front of judges," Southeast coach Kristi Ewasko said. "This meet is a good starting point to see where we're at when we start the season in January."

Southeast opens the season Jan. 13 against Northern Illinois.

-- From staff reports