SEMO women's basketball honors seniors in virtual gathering

For the second consecutive year, Southeast Missouri State held an online awards celebration via Zoom Tuesday.

The Redhawk women were ousted in the first round of the Ohio Valley Conference playoffs earlier this month, one year after winning the OVC tourney and punching SEMO’s ticket to the ultimately COVID-aborted 2020 NCAA Tournament.

Coaches, university officials, athletic department staff and fans saluted the 12-member team, most notably seniors Tesia Thompson and LaTrese Saine, who graduate in May.

“Thank you for all the pleasure you gave us,” said Southeast president Carlos Vargas-Aburto, “(and) you were such an exciting team to watch.”

Southeast’s sixth-year coach, Rekha Patterson, saluted the success of the roundball program while lamenting the way the 2020-21 season ended.

“We had back-to-back top three seeds in the (OVC) tournament and we’ve consistently made it to the postseason for six years,” said Patterson.

“The injury bug, unfortunately, hit us down the stretch,” she added, a reference to nagging knee injuries preventing Thompson and point guard Taelour Pruitt from finishing the campaign.

Awards

__Fall Academic Award__ (4.0 G.P.A.): Sophie Bussard, Sophia Hancock (Puxico High), Briana Johns.

__Hoover Award__ (academic & athletic achievement): Tesia Thompson.

__Tammy Hoffmeister Award__ (most inspirational): Sophia Hancock.

__Hustle Award__: Sophie Bussard.

__Playmaker__ (assists leader): Roshala Scott.

__Windex Award__ (top rebounder): LaTrese Saine.

__Jeff and Tammy Bohnert MVP Award__ (fans): Show Me Center Maintenance Crew.

__Susan Guidicy Award__ (MVP Offensive Player of the Year): Tesia Thompson.

__Team Defensive Player of the Year__: LaTrese Saine.

Saine and Thompson were both recognized for being named First Team OVC players with Saine additionally noted for being the conference’s defensive player of the year.

Saine, who holds SEMO’s career blocks record, finished the season, Patterson reported, as the no. 2 shot blocker in the nation.