Rachel Crader is the editor of semoball.com. She graduated from the University of Missouri School of Journalism in May of 2009 before spending the summer covering the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas.

Highlights from Rachel's days in college include having a class down the hall from Chase Daniel and having NCAA wrestling champion Ben Askren hold the door open for her at Brady Commons, Mizzou's student center. She spent time covering Mizzou basketball, softball and baseball while working for the Columbia Missourian and is excited to return home to Southeast Missouri to cover local sports for semoball.com.

Rachel has covered three Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournaments for the Southeast Missourian and semoball.com, and she'll see you courtside again this year.

Semoball Awards Selection Show live on Feb. 7!

Posted Wednesday, January 21, 2015, at 3:59 PM

It's finally time to announce the first round of Semoball Awards finalists, and I'm excited to share that the announcements will be made live at Dexter BBQ in Cape Girardeau and on SEMO ESPN airwaves at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 7.

For the uninitiated, the Semoball Awards are the Southeast Missouri version of the ESPYs. We held them for the first time last year, when almost 1,000 people packed the Show Me Center for a dazzling night honoring the best in athletics from 57 high school across the region. We're talking red carpet entrance, live awards show production inspired by the actual ESPYs, catered dinner and more. The video tells the story.

Last year we announced finalists for each sport -- either five or 10 athletes depending on how many high schools participate in the sport -- on weekday mornings as part of SEMO ESPN's Sports Huddle. This year, we're upping the game and making it possible for athletes, fans and coaches to attend the announcements.

Dexter Bar B Que has graciously agreed to host the first show on Feb. 7 when the finalists for football offense, football defense, volleyball, boys soccer, girls tennis, boys cross country, girls cross country and boys swimming will be announced. There will be a free buffet of their delicious BBQ available, so get their early to get your share. :)

The live broadcast will start at 10 as part of the weekly Saturday Morning Express and we'll have locals coaches and athletes on the show. All finalists in attendance will be recognized and have their photo taken, so if you think you might make the cut, please come join us.

This year's Semoball Awards will be held on July 11 at the Southeast Missouri State River Campus due to renovations at the Show Me Center. We'll be announcing the nationally-recognized speaker next month, and I think you all will be excited to hear from the person we've invited.

Have questions? Leave them for me below and I'll get back to you.

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How are students selected?

-- Posted by Bootheel4life on Wed, Jan 21, 2015, at 4:00 PM
And or nominated to be selected

-- Posted by Bootheel4life on Wed, Jan 21, 2015, at 4:01 PM

Rachel Crader
The sports staffs the make up the semoball team -- from the Sikeston Standard Democrat, Dexter Daily Statesman, Daily Dunklin Democrat, Daily American Republic, Southeast Missouri and SEMO ESPN -- watch throughout the season and also contact coaches after the season to gather stats and opinions as well. Then we lock (OK, not really) ourselves in a conference room and fight it out until we have our finalists for every sport.

You will soon be able to nominate athletes as well, particularly for special awards like the Sportsmanship Award. I'll share that info later. We're also introducing a LIfetime Achievement Award this year, which I'm excited about, and we'll be taking nominations for that as well.
I get a vote on the awards.

-- Posted by Dustin Ward on Wed, Jan 21, 2015, at 11:26 PM

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