Team strives to maintain high GPA

The Southeast Missouri State women's gymnastics team won the National Academic title for the fifth time in seven years. The team members feel that getting good grades and doing well in the gym go hand in hand.

"It's not forced, but every year we come in and the upperclassmen help motivate the freshman to keep it alive and keep it going, " senior gymnast Erin Brady said. "It's cool to have it year after year and to be something we strive for."

The title is given to the team with the highest cumulative grade-point average among all NCAA gymnastics teams. The Redhawks posted a 3.8146 GPA to beat out second-place Western Michigan, which had a 3.8086 team GPA. Utah, Brown and Alabama were all top 10 teams.

The two years, in 2010 and 2012, of the last seven years Southeast did not win the the title. It came in second place. Winning first place is a tradition that the Southeast women wish to continue for years to come.

"It feels awesome," senior gymnast Tanner Vanderpool said. "We work really hard and we really try to put academics first because gymnastics last four years, but your college career will go with you for forever."

All 13 members of last year's team made the NACGC/W All-Academic Team, and six team members had a 4.0 GPA.

Kimmie Pickerl said having high academic standards is a tradition for the gymnastics team.

"It's just becoming where I want to get it again this year and something that we always strive for," Pickerl said.

A Redhawks gymnast performs a routine on the balance beam during a competition.

When asked about what advice she had for her fellow Southeast students, senior gymnast Samantha Marrero offered a few tips.

"I definitely say get a planner and become extremely organized, and set aside time to study," Marrero said.

"It's exciting and rewarding knowing that all our hard work and going to all our study hall hours really paid off," sophomore gymnast Taylor Penzien said.

New assistant coach Jake Zenker, whose hiring was announced in a press release on Aug. 26, stresses both academics and gymnastics.

"Gymnastics is a great sport, but what actually matters when they leave this place is what they do outside this gym," Zenker said.

Zenker has had a passion for gymnastics his whole life. He was a member of Penn State's club gymnastics team and won a club team national title in 2010. Zenker managed Penn State's women's gymnastics team for three years before being hired at Southeast.

"I'm excited to bring someone with Jake's background into the program," Ewasko said in the release. "He assisted with Penn State's varsity team while competing with the school's club program. I think he'll bring some knowledge from there that will help us push to make regionals as a team. He is eager to learn more about the coaching aspect of the sport, and I felt we needed someone who is as driven as he is to improve our program."

The team finished third at the Midwest Independent Conference meet to conclude its season in March and will open a new season in January.

"We just ask our girls give a 110 percent, whether that is in the gym or in the classroom," Zenker said.