Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Photo by: Michael Black
Saluki Women's Soccer Update
09/06/2018 | 3:33:00 | Women's Soccer
Head coach Grant Williams is hard at work preparing for the Salukis' inaugural season in 2019.
The announcement made in 2018 that Southern Illinois University would be adding a women's soccer program, which is set to begin competition in the fall of 2019, was met with much excitement from Saluki faithful, as southern Illinois has long been a hotbed for soccer talent over the years.
Following a thorough coaching search, Grant Williams was hired as the head coach of the Saluki soccer program, bringing with him 13 seasons of Division I coaching experience, including the last six at Missouri Valley Conference foe Evansville. Williams was a part of two MVC Championship teams during his six years with the Purple Aces and made three appearances in the MVC championship match.
Tasked with the lofty requirements of compiling an entire roster and coaching staff prior to the first kickoff in the fall of 2019, Williams has embraced the challenge with open arms. Without a full coaching staff to divvy up the work, Williams recruited in six states, seven cities and all told traveled well over 4,500 miles during his first month on the job.
"It was a little bit of a challenge, in particular, over the first six-to-eight weeks when we hadn't moved to Carbondale yet and didn't have a full staff," Williams said.
In early June, Williams hired former professional goalkeeper Libby Stout as an assistant coach. Stout and Williams have known each other for years dating back to Stout's playing days at Western Kentucky where she earned All-American status as the Hilltoppers' goalkeeper and went on to play professionally in Europe and domestically in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).Â
More recently, Williams brought on Nyomi Devine as a graduate assistant coach. Devine is fresh off winning a Ohio Valley Conference championship at Murray State, where she was a four-year captain and earned All-South Region third team honors after she helped the Racers post nine shutouts during her senior season.
"When I went after Libby, I wanted to find someone who would be a good compliment to me and be a great resource for our student-athletes," Williams said. "With the addition of Nyomi, it's another reinforcement. Nyomi just finished playing (at Murray State); she was a four-year captain and is Australian so she is mature and has a different perspective on life and the game. When we get student-athletes here, there is going to be a coach that they can relate and connect with all-across the board."
The last weekend in August was particularly monumental for the Salukis as all three coaches were on the road recruiting for the first time. While other college soccer programs are hindered by games and practices as to when they can recruit at this point in the season, Williams sees his staff's ability to maneuver free of those constraints as a clear benefit.
"There's a big advantage to us not having a team because every other team is in-season and their ability to go recruit is limited to time," Williams said. "Whereas we aren't- all three of us were out this past weekend, and we saw a handful of coaches, but they weren't there all-day like we were. It provides some flexibility that I haven't been accustomed to."
Southern has already received verbal commitments from several regional prep athletes and Williams and his staff hope to have 22-25 student-athletes of various ages on the roster by the fall of 2019.
"At least initially the idea is to try and have 22-25 on the roster when we come around to the fall of 2019," Williams said. "The idea is to have 15-18 first-years and then where do we find either transfers or JUCO players to help supplement."
The strategy by which Williams and his staff have recruited student-athletes for the inaugural Saluki women's soccer campaign is much like one would expect- sign the best available players and fill in the gaps where needed.
"The first process was best available players based on position," Williams said. "Now we're looking at our numbers and penciling in where we need to devote some attention. I think that we are balanced in where we are addressing all three lines- defensively, midfield and our attacking front. I'll feel much better once we get a goalkeeper."
While Williams and his staff will continue to scour the women's soccer landscape for available talent, he sees a significant advantage to having a mix of freshmen and older stateswomen on the inaugural roster.
"The great thing about having a really young team is that their excitement and energy is through the roof," Williams said. "Consistency is tough because it's the first time they've done those things, so there's certainly some benefit to bringing in some older players to provide some leadership and experience."
As for who the Salukis will play against during their first season on the pitch, that picture is also getting clearer.Â
"I've got 10 confirmed games and two more that I'm waiting for their 2019 conference schedule to come out," Williams said of the 2019 schedule.
As of now, all 12 games will be against DI opponents- but that could change as Williams attempts to fill out the final dates of the 2019 schedule. While specifics are understandably scarce this far out, Williams teased a trip to both coasts during the program's inaugural season.
"It's a combination of in-region and out of region opponents just because of dates that I needed to fill," Williams said of the 2019 schedule. "It wouldn't be normal to be going East Coast/West Coast on a regular basis, but its a unique situation that we find ourselves in and people need games and dates and we have some flexibility to travel."
The Salukis will join the Missouri Valley Conference in 2020. Williams doesn't anticipate there being many Valley opponents, if any at all, on the Salukis schedule in 2019.Â
"Most of the coaches in the Valley have reached out but I've waffled back and forth on the pros and cons of playing MVC opponents," Williams said. "I've decided to stay away from the Valley in general because I don't want there to be any preconceived ideas before the games start to matter, good or bad. Going into it wide-eyed and excited in 2020 is what I decided we will do."
Â
Following a thorough coaching search, Grant Williams was hired as the head coach of the Saluki soccer program, bringing with him 13 seasons of Division I coaching experience, including the last six at Missouri Valley Conference foe Evansville. Williams was a part of two MVC Championship teams during his six years with the Purple Aces and made three appearances in the MVC championship match.
Tasked with the lofty requirements of compiling an entire roster and coaching staff prior to the first kickoff in the fall of 2019, Williams has embraced the challenge with open arms. Without a full coaching staff to divvy up the work, Williams recruited in six states, seven cities and all told traveled well over 4,500 miles during his first month on the job.
"It was a little bit of a challenge, in particular, over the first six-to-eight weeks when we hadn't moved to Carbondale yet and didn't have a full staff," Williams said.
In early June, Williams hired former professional goalkeeper Libby Stout as an assistant coach. Stout and Williams have known each other for years dating back to Stout's playing days at Western Kentucky where she earned All-American status as the Hilltoppers' goalkeeper and went on to play professionally in Europe and domestically in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).Â
More recently, Williams brought on Nyomi Devine as a graduate assistant coach. Devine is fresh off winning a Ohio Valley Conference championship at Murray State, where she was a four-year captain and earned All-South Region third team honors after she helped the Racers post nine shutouts during her senior season.
"When I went after Libby, I wanted to find someone who would be a good compliment to me and be a great resource for our student-athletes," Williams said. "With the addition of Nyomi, it's another reinforcement. Nyomi just finished playing (at Murray State); she was a four-year captain and is Australian so she is mature and has a different perspective on life and the game. When we get student-athletes here, there is going to be a coach that they can relate and connect with all-across the board."
The last weekend in August was particularly monumental for the Salukis as all three coaches were on the road recruiting for the first time. While other college soccer programs are hindered by games and practices as to when they can recruit at this point in the season, Williams sees his staff's ability to maneuver free of those constraints as a clear benefit.
"There's a big advantage to us not having a team because every other team is in-season and their ability to go recruit is limited to time," Williams said. "Whereas we aren't- all three of us were out this past weekend, and we saw a handful of coaches, but they weren't there all-day like we were. It provides some flexibility that I haven't been accustomed to."
Southern has already received verbal commitments from several regional prep athletes and Williams and his staff hope to have 22-25 student-athletes of various ages on the roster by the fall of 2019.
"At least initially the idea is to try and have 22-25 on the roster when we come around to the fall of 2019," Williams said. "The idea is to have 15-18 first-years and then where do we find either transfers or JUCO players to help supplement."
The strategy by which Williams and his staff have recruited student-athletes for the inaugural Saluki women's soccer campaign is much like one would expect- sign the best available players and fill in the gaps where needed.
"The first process was best available players based on position," Williams said. "Now we're looking at our numbers and penciling in where we need to devote some attention. I think that we are balanced in where we are addressing all three lines- defensively, midfield and our attacking front. I'll feel much better once we get a goalkeeper."
While Williams and his staff will continue to scour the women's soccer landscape for available talent, he sees a significant advantage to having a mix of freshmen and older stateswomen on the inaugural roster.
"The great thing about having a really young team is that their excitement and energy is through the roof," Williams said. "Consistency is tough because it's the first time they've done those things, so there's certainly some benefit to bringing in some older players to provide some leadership and experience."
As for who the Salukis will play against during their first season on the pitch, that picture is also getting clearer.Â
"I've got 10 confirmed games and two more that I'm waiting for their 2019 conference schedule to come out," Williams said of the 2019 schedule.
As of now, all 12 games will be against DI opponents- but that could change as Williams attempts to fill out the final dates of the 2019 schedule. While specifics are understandably scarce this far out, Williams teased a trip to both coasts during the program's inaugural season.
"It's a combination of in-region and out of region opponents just because of dates that I needed to fill," Williams said of the 2019 schedule. "It wouldn't be normal to be going East Coast/West Coast on a regular basis, but its a unique situation that we find ourselves in and people need games and dates and we have some flexibility to travel."
The Salukis will join the Missouri Valley Conference in 2020. Williams doesn't anticipate there being many Valley opponents, if any at all, on the Salukis schedule in 2019.Â
"Most of the coaches in the Valley have reached out but I've waffled back and forth on the pros and cons of playing MVC opponents," Williams said. "I've decided to stay away from the Valley in general because I don't want there to be any preconceived ideas before the games start to matter, good or bad. Going into it wide-eyed and excited in 2020 is what I decided we will do."
Â
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