ARNZEN HOPES FANS SUPPORT DIV. I MOVE

One concern of Southeast Missouri State University in jumping to Division I athletics is that fan support will wane in the transitional years, a university basketball coach told area business people Friday.

"As we head into Division I, we hope people will accept the fact that we won't win 80 percent of our games," said Ed Arnzen, coach of the university's Otahkian basketball squad that finished second in the nation during its final year in Division II.

"We hope the fans will bear with us for a while."

Arnzen was guest speaker at the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce's First Friday Coffee.

Arnzen, who has guided the Otahkians through the past eight seasons, has provided fans with an .800 winning percentage, with a combined record of 192-46, including last season's 27-3 record and a runnerup finish in NCAA national tournament.

The university makes its jump this fall to Division I, which means a higher level of competition for athletic teams, and more stringent standard for admitting student-athletes.

"The decision to advance to Division I was made several years ago," said Arnzen. "That decision has created some controversy. I've talked with some people who feel the move is the greatest thing in the world. Others say we made a mistake and should go back to Division II."

Arnzen said academics played a role in the move.

"Our student enrollment was facing a decline," he said. "The move to Division I should attract additional students. Over the past two years, we have seen an upturn in student enrollment, although we've had to turn down some students because of higher standards for enrollment."

Arnzen said student recruiting was "more stringent," requiring higher scores on entrance examinations.

Another reason for the move was to receive more media exposure.

"When we hosted the NCAA Division II women's tournament last season, we played before a NCAA II record crowd of 7,000 people," said Arnzen. "We rated a couple of paragraphs in the St. Louis daily newspaper.

"The men's basketball team, which has led the nation in Division II attendance the past few years, has appeared in post season play almost every year, finishing second twice, hasn't rated much better publicity outside the immediate area."

Arnzen added that Southeast Missouri State University will gain exposure through television and national magazine publications as a member of Division I.

"Our coaches are looking forward to their new venture into Division I," he said. "We have withdrawn from the Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association and joined the Ohio Valley Conference. There's no turning back now. We're looking straight ahead, and we think the majority of our fans are, too."

The next First Friday Coffee will be held Sept. 6, with Congressman Bill Emerson as guest speaker.