Athletic director Brady Barke named Ashley Lawson as the new Southeast gymnastics head coach on Friday, Aug. 17.

Lawson is one of Southeast’s own. Now married, she competed in gymnastics for the Redhawks under her maiden name Godwin from 2001 to 2004, and still holds school records in several categories.

“I’m honored and thrilled to be able to lead this team to new heights,” Lawson said.

She was the school’s Female Athlete of the Year in 2004, and is the record holder for the Redhawks in four of the five individual events, including bars (9.925), beam (9.975), floor (10.000) and all-around (39.550).

“I don’t think that my accolades really mean anything,” Lawson said. “I think it would be more satisfying and rewarding for me as a coach to be able to coach this team to break some of those records that I have.”

On paper and in the gym, few understand the logistics surrounding Southeast gymnastics quite like Lawson.

“I think that the traditions for SEMO run deep.[As] There has been an enormous amount of success leading up to where the team is now.”

Lawson, in her first collegiate head coaching position, looks to turn around a team coming off of a disappointing 7-17 season in 2017.

“We have a lot of work to do ahead of us, but I think if we lay the groundwork and we set our standards, we have something that our team can buy into, and the success will fall into play after that,” Lawson said.

The former Redhawk athlete kept referencing her love of the sport, something she wants to impart to all in the program.

“We sent out a survey, and a lot of them said they just wanted to love the sport of gymnastics again,” Lawson said. “Once we set those standards and they know they have something to buy into, I think that love for the sport is going to come back.”

Lawson spent the past season in St. Charles as the beam coach at Lindenwood University. Previous to that, moved around in Florida, coaching in several places. She was at Suncoast Gymnastics Academy for three years, and also spent three years with Southern Starz Gymnastics in Florida.

Lawson graduated from Southeast in 2005 with a Bachelors of Science in exercise science.

“I have the love for the university, I was here for 4 years, I had a successful 4 year career here,” Lawson said. “My husband and I have always said that we love Cape Girardeau, I remember when I came on my recruiting trip, I thought downtown looked like Varsity Blues with the banners hung in the street. The community is very welcoming, my hope and goal is to get some of that support back for our home gymnastics meets.”

The Redhawks open their season in January.