The Southern Illinois Salukis baseball team represents Southern Illinois University in NCAA Division I college baseball. They are part of the Missouri Valley Conference. Twenty-four Saluki Baseball alumni have gone on to the Major Leagues.
History On June 20, 2019, Southern Illinois University Director of Athletics Jerry Kill announced Lance Rhodes as the program's new head coach. Rhodes is a Sikeston, Missouri, native, and joined the Saluki baseball program from the University of Missouri, where he had served as the head assistant and recruiting coordinator. Prior to his time at the University of Missouri, Rhodes served as the recruiting coordinator at Southeast Missouri State University; helping them to three years of program dominance by winning three straight Ohio Valley Conference championships (2014, 2015, 2016).
SIU baseball started as a club sport in 1921, lasting until 1924. From 1925 until 1946, the school did not have a baseball program.
In 1947, Abe Martin revived the program as an intercollegiate sport and it has remained ever since, being an elite program in the late 1960s through the 1980s.
SIU plays its home games at Itchy Jones Stadium.
SIU in the NCAA tournament SIU has history in the NCAA baseball tournament held in Omaha since 1950 and at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium from 1950 through 2010. They won the College World Series 5 times and the national champion runner-up twice, losing to the University of Southern California Trojans both times and as third-place finishers twice.
YearRecordPctNotes 1966 0–2 .000 Eliminated by Valparaiso 1967 1–2 .333 Eliminated by Western Michigan 1968 6–2 .750 Eliminated by USC in championship game College World Series (2nd place) 1969 3–2 .600 Eliminated by Ole Miss College World Series (7th place) 1970 2–2 .500 Eliminated by Ohio 1971 7–3 .700 Eliminated by USC in championship game College World Series (2nd place) 1973 2–2 .500 Eliminated by Minnesota 1974 7–3 .500 Eliminated by USC in CWS semifinals College World Series (3rd place) 1976 0–2 .000 Eliminated by Michigan 1977 6–2 .750 Eliminated by Arizona State in CWS Semifinals College World Series (3rd place) 1978 2–2 .500 Eliminated by Oral Roberts 1981 1–2 .333 Eliminated by Oral Roberts 1986 1–2 .333 Eliminated by Texas 1990 2–2 .500 Eliminated by San Diego State
Head coaches
Coach Years Record Lance Rhodes 2020–present 166–93 Ken Henderson 2011–2019 241–294–1 Dan Callahan 1995–2010 442–447–1 Sam Riggelman 1991–1994 82–114–1 Itch Jones 1970–1990 738–345–5Joe Lutz 1966–1969 130–48–2 Abe Martin 1947–1965 277–155–2William McAndrew 1921–1924 20–6
Notable former players Sam Coonrod, current Major League Baseball pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies Jim Dwyer, Retired Major League Baseball outfielder Steve Finley, Retired Major League Baseball center fielder, 5-time Gold Glove winner, 2-time All-Star Jason Frasor, Major League Baseball pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago White Sox, Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals Joe Hall, Retired Major League Baseball outfielder Jerry Hairston Jr., Major League Baseball second baseman for the San Diego Padres Duane Kuiper, Retired Major League Baseball second baseman, announcer, commentator for EA Sports baseball video games Al Levine, Former Major League Baseball pitcher currently pitching for the Newark Bears of the independent Atlantic League. Dan Radison, current Major League Baseball 1st base coach for the Washington Nationals Dave Stieb, Retired Major League Baseball pitcher, 7 Time All-Star, Pitched No-Hitter on September 2, 1990. Bill Stein, Retired Major League Baseball infielder Tristan Peters
See also List of NCAA Division I baseball programs
References