From its inception in 1873 until 1898, the Missouri State Normal School—Third District, had no kind of training available in physical education. In 1898-1899 the Department of Elocution and Physical Culture was established. In 1903, another program came into existence which featured indoor and outdoor exercises four times per week. In the 1904-1905 school year, a program influenced by Sargent and Anderson, early leaders in physical education in the United States, became established at the school. In 1906, the school renamed the department “Physical Training.”

The early aims of the Physical Training Department were to maintain the health of the student, help form correct habits for living, and prepare them to teach physical training in public schools. By 1908, the campus provided tennis courts, swimming pool, two gymnasiums (one for men and one for women), and an athletic field.

Football, basketball, and track were eventually offered for exercise. Intercollegiate football was played in the winter term: in the spring term, the school provided the opportunity for students to engage in tennis and track. Literary Society and intercollegiate baseball games also were played in the spring. For those specializing in physical training, advanced courses in gymnastics, coaching of athletic teams, and theory and practical teaching courses were also available. During this period, athletics and social events were often linked in the same venues.

Finally, school teams for football, basketball, and baseball began to be formed. Beginning in 1921, these teams were referred to as the Cape Girardeau Teachers College team, or “Teachers.” By 1924, the Cape Girardeau men’s teams became known as the “Indians.” The women’s teams were called the “Otahkians.” On October 22 2004, the Southeast Missouri State University retired the name “Indians” and renamed the teams “Redhawks.” Today, Southeast is a member of NCAA Division I and competes in the Ohio Valley Conference.