SE TO BUILD LOCKER ROOM TO HONOR UHLS

Southeast Missouri State University's baseball program will have a new look in 1999 with the addition of the `Tiger Joe Uhls Locker Room.'

Fans will have an opportunity to see what the new locker room will look like during Thursday night's basketball game against Tennessee-Martin as there will be artist renditions of the new facility on display at the Show Me Center.

Work has already started on the new locker room, which is set for completion by this fall. The state-of-the-art facility will be located in the west end of Houck Field House. There will be 30 individual, pro-style lockers, new carpeting, new bathroom and shower facilities and a television/VCR area for the players.

In addition, a Joe Uhls display case will be constructed. The case will contain items from Uhls' career. The Indian Wall of Fame will identify great team and individual honors from past baseball teams at Southeast.

The new locker room is named for legendary coach Joe Uhls, who served as Southeast's head baseball coach from 1960-84 and compiled a 373-257 record.

Uhls, who died in 1987, led the Indians to five MIAA titles and the 1976 Division II World Series, where Southeast finished third.

Southeast coach Mark Hogan said the new locker room, which will be privately funded through the Tiger Joe Uhls Baseball Fund, is a fitting honor to the former Indians' coach.

"Coach Uhls deserves this recognition. This is a way to pay tribute to a man who has dedicated a lifetime of service to Southeast Missouri State University," said Hogan, who played under Uhls at Southeast. "We have looked for an opportunity to recognize him in any fitting way. He worked in Houck Field House for over 30 years so we felt the new locker room should be located there."