Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Southern Illinois University to add Women's Soccer in 2019
01/16/2018 | 4:56:00 | General, Women's Soccer
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Southern Illinois University will add women's soccer to its athletics lineup beginning with the 2019 season, the school announced today. Saluki Athletics currently sponsors 16 intercollegiate sport programs — eight men's teams and eight women's teams.
SIU will immediately begin a search for a head coach to lead the program, which will compete as an independent during its first season before joining the Missouri Valley Conference as the league's ninth member in 2020. The women's soccer team will play its home games at Saluki Stadium and will practice at the Lew Hartzog Track & Field complex, where a locker room facility is already in place for the team.
According to the Wall Street Journal, soccer participation has surged in the past three decades and now trails only basketball among youth ages 7 to 17. In 2015, the U.S.'s win over Japan in the Women's World Cup final was the most viewed soccer game in the history of American television, attracting 25.4 million viewers, surpassing the final game of the 2014 World Series.
"Interest in soccer is at an all-time high, and our University had the foresight to build a dual-purpose facility for the eventual arrival of soccer on our campus," said Saluki Director of Athletics Tommy Bell. "The addition of soccer at SIU is a natural fit for our region and is consistent with our University's goal of creating a vibrant student experience."
Athletics anticipates fielding a roster of 25 participants for the inaugural season and 30 participants when the program joins the MVC in 2020. Current members of SIU's club team will be invited to try out.
On January 26, 2017, SIU announced it would cut 16.4 scholarships across three sports, with reductions in men's swimming and diving, and the elimination of the men's and women's tennis programs. After these reductions took place, a Title IX complaint was filed with the U.S. Department of Education. The university is committed to complying with Title IX and reached a resolution agreement that included adding women's soccer. The University's current enrollment is 53.5 percent male and 46.5 percent female. With the addition of women's soccer in 2019-20, the anticipated participation numbers will be 52.2 percent male and 47.8 percent female.
The reductions announced last year resulted in an annual savings of approximately $700,000 for Saluki Athletics. With the addition of women's soccer, SIU will add back 8.4 scholarships. The initial annual operating budget for the program will be less than $400,000. One-time facility enhancements are expected to cost $100,000 for the purchase of goals, safety netting and additional locker room equipment.
SIU will immediately begin a search for a head coach to lead the program, which will compete as an independent during its first season before joining the Missouri Valley Conference as the league's ninth member in 2020. The women's soccer team will play its home games at Saluki Stadium and will practice at the Lew Hartzog Track & Field complex, where a locker room facility is already in place for the team.
According to the Wall Street Journal, soccer participation has surged in the past three decades and now trails only basketball among youth ages 7 to 17. In 2015, the U.S.'s win over Japan in the Women's World Cup final was the most viewed soccer game in the history of American television, attracting 25.4 million viewers, surpassing the final game of the 2014 World Series.
"Interest in soccer is at an all-time high, and our University had the foresight to build a dual-purpose facility for the eventual arrival of soccer on our campus," said Saluki Director of Athletics Tommy Bell. "The addition of soccer at SIU is a natural fit for our region and is consistent with our University's goal of creating a vibrant student experience."
Athletics anticipates fielding a roster of 25 participants for the inaugural season and 30 participants when the program joins the MVC in 2020. Current members of SIU's club team will be invited to try out.
On January 26, 2017, SIU announced it would cut 16.4 scholarships across three sports, with reductions in men's swimming and diving, and the elimination of the men's and women's tennis programs. After these reductions took place, a Title IX complaint was filed with the U.S. Department of Education. The university is committed to complying with Title IX and reached a resolution agreement that included adding women's soccer. The University's current enrollment is 53.5 percent male and 46.5 percent female. With the addition of women's soccer in 2019-20, the anticipated participation numbers will be 52.2 percent male and 47.8 percent female.
The reductions announced last year resulted in an annual savings of approximately $700,000 for Saluki Athletics. With the addition of women's soccer, SIU will add back 8.4 scholarships. The initial annual operating budget for the program will be less than $400,000. One-time facility enhancements are expected to cost $100,000 for the purchase of goals, safety netting and additional locker room equipment.
Video | Rishonda Napier Hall of Fame interview
Tuesday, October 15
Video | Jorge Delgado Hall of Fame interview
Tuesday, October 15
Video | Rick Murray Hall of Fame interview
Tuesday, October 15
Saluki Chats in Chevies | Episode 1 | Anna Jaworski
Tuesday, October 15