Southeast Gymnastics

When Southeast Missouri State athletic director Brady Barke was asked last month what it took to build a successful sport at his institution, he was very specific about the core of what was needed.

For those fans of Southeast Missouri State men’s basketball that feel new coach Brad Korn has his work cut out for him, they should imagine what it was like for Redhawks gymnastics coach Ashley Lawson, who was hired to rebuild the program at her alma mater just weeks before the start of the 2018-19 school year.

Southeast Missouri State’s gymnastics program was recognized Friday following a strong, yet shortened season.

The only thing spreading more rapidly than the COVID-19 public health threat Thursday was the sporting events and leagues that were ceasing operations for the time being.

The Southeast Missouri State women's gymnastics team totaled a 194.175 to capture its fifth straight competition Sunday at Centenary.

Ashley Godwin Lawson is in her second year as head coach of Redhawks gymnastics, but she is now in the Southeast Hall of Fame for her stellar performance as an undergraduate. Lawson, 37, was inducted Friday and holds the school record in four of the sport’s five individual events: bars (9.925), beam (9.975), floor (10.000) and all around (39.550) – achieved during her 2001-2004 tenure at Southeast...