Monday, March 21, 2011

New York Times puts spotlight on star SEMO pitcher

The New York Times detailed the amazing rise of Southeast pitcher Jordan Underwood in its weekend edition.

Underwood, who pitches at Southeast, lost his left eye after he was hit in the face by a line drive two years ago in Oklahoma, but he's emerged as one of the Redhawks' top pitchers. From the story:

"Three weeks after a line drive crashed into his face and destroyed his left eye, Jordan Underwood sat at Logan’s Roadhouse in Oklahoma City and decided his tea needed some sweetener. He opened a packet, extended his arm to the glass and proceeded to pour sugar all over the table.

"Losing an eye — and with it conventional depth perception — might seem devastating to an athlete, like a pianist developing Parkinson’s disease. But less than two years after being fitted with an acrylic left eye, Underwood has emerged as the ace pitcher at Southeast Missouri State, a Division I program."

It's a truly remarkable story. Click the link to read it in its entirety.

Southeast hosts Saint Louis at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Tuesday, March 01, 2011

Southeast fires its women's basketball coach

John Ishee's fifth season will be his last as Southeast women's basketball coach. The school said in a brief statement Tuesday afternoon that Ishee's contract will not be renewed when it expires in April.

Ishee was Southeast's coach for five seasons, and although his overall record was 77-74, recent campaigns have been disappointing. Southeast just completed an 8-21 season that included a 4-14 record in the Ohio Valley Conference.

Southeast won OVC championships in 2007 and '08 under Ishee, and he was picked as the OVC's coach of the year in 2007. That season's team reached the NCAA Tournament, and the Redhawks were picked for the WNIT Tournament in 2008.

Marcus Payne was picked Tuesday as acting head coach, and the school said a national search will begin immediately.