Dana Eikenberg signs five-year contract at Southern Illinois University
06/14/2007 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
June 14, 2007
By Shalae Schulte
www.siusalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Southern Illinois University women's basketball coach Dana Eikenberg has agreed to a new five-year contract that will pay her an annual base salary of $125,000 per-year season, Director of Athletics Mario Moccia announced Thursday.
Last season, Eikenberg guided the Salukis to a 21-11 record, a regular-season Missouri Valley Conference championship and a berth in the National Invitation Tournament. The program posted the 10th-best turnaround in Division I women's basketball by adding 11 wins from a 10-18 campaign the previous season. Eikenberg was named the State Farm MVC Coach-of-the-Year.
"Keeping a high-quality coach like Dana is of paramount importance to our department," Moccia said. "Along with the signing of Chris Lowery to a long-term contract, this demonstrates our commitment to competing for Missouri Valley Conference championships year-in and year out."
Eikenberg inherited a program in 2004 that had recorded seven-straight seasons in the bottom three of the league. Her overall record at SIU in three seasons is 34-53, however last year's regular-season title was the first at Southern in 20 years and first post-season appearance in 15 years.
"I appreciate the willingness of Mario and SIU President Glenn Poshard to take the program to the next level," Eikenberg said. "Their support is invaluable and will continue to help us recruit top student-athletes who can put this program back in the national spotlight."
Moccia said the terms of the contract put Eikenberg in the top tier of coach's salaries in the MVC.