Track & Field
Success at Southern
Southern Illinois track and field has been a national powerhouse at the Division I level for over half a century now. Once legendary coach Lew Hartzog took the reigns in 1960, the Salukis have earned 160 All-American certificates, produced 29 Olympic athletes (including two silver medals courtesy of George Woods), won 19 individual NCAA national championships; and in conference play, Southern has won 737 individual Missouri Valley Conference crowns and 41 MVC team titles.
Some of the finest track athletes in the United States and abroad have come through SIU -- including but not limited to Woods, four-time Olympian Connie Price-Smith, 1985 NCAA 400 meter dash champion and two-time World Championship silver medalist Michael Franks, two-time national champion and weight throw world record holder Brittany Riley, three-time national champion Jeneva McCall and most recently, two-time national champion and 2016 Olympian DeAnna Price.
By the Numbers
| MVC Individual Titles | 737 |
| All-Americans | 160 |
| MVC Team Titles |
41 |
| Olympians | 29 |
| NCAA Champions | 19 |
| Olympic medalists | 2 |