Five Things to Know: Tennessee Tech

Sunday, August 11

Cookeville, Tenn.

6 PM

Southern Illinois University

Tennessee Tech (EX)

08/09/2019 | 2:00:00 | Women's Soccer

By: Brandon Lindholm, SIUSalukis.com

CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Southern Illinois women's soccer team opens up its inaugural season with an exhibition match on the road against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles on Aug. 11 at 6 p.m.

1. THE BEGINNING: The exhibition against Tennessee Tech signifies the start of the inaugural season for the Saluki soccer program. Having begun practice on Wednesday, the exhibition serves as an early test for the Salukis as they get acclimated to the NCAA Division I level. In total, SIU will play three exhibition matches before the start of the 2019 regular season.

2. PROVIDING EXPERIENCE: SIU secured commitments from seven transfers before the start of the season. Kailyn Stone, Ellie Lewis, Maya Warrior, Andrea Rodriquez, Kathryn Creedon and Hailey Blanchard arrive in Carbondale with a combined 64 games of Division I experience to their names. Junior goalkeeper/defender Ashley Moore also brings two years of experience from Kaskaskia College, where she was twice named All-Region.

3. SCOUTING TENNESSEE TECH: The Golden Eagles are coming off a 2018 campaign that saw the program fall one win short of the Ohio Valley Conference tournament. With victories over Belmont, IPFW and SIUE, losses to Lipscomb and North Alabama and a tie against SEMO, the Golden Eagles went 3-2-1 against opponents that the Salukis will face over the course of the 2019 season.

4. LOOKING FORWARD: There will be 11 opportunities to see the Salukis in action at home this season. SIU will open the season with five-straight home contests before heading on a three-game road trip with contests against IUPUI, IPFW, and Western Kentucky. The Salukis return home on Sept. 15 to face Morehead State before playing host to 2018 NCAA tournament team Lipscomb on Sept. 19. Southern closes out its home slate with Texas Rio Grande Valley (Sept. 29), SIUE (Oct 18) and welcomes California Baptist for its regular season finale on Nov. 2. Tickets are available to purchase at SIUSalukis.com or by calling 1-877-SALUKIS.

5. COACHING EXPERIENCE: Head coach Grant Williams brings a wealth of experience to the lead role of this young Saluki team. Having spent 13 years as a Division I assistant, Williams has coached 47 All-Conference players throughout his career and has helped his former teams secure two conference championships and a trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2015. While at the University of Evansville, Williams was recognized for his coaching accomplishments by being apart of the 2012 staff that took home the Missouri Valley Conference Coaching Staff of the Year award.