Carbondale Reporter

Spring Break has concluded at Southern Illinois University, and the Saluki athletic teams are actively participating in various events. The women's basketball team ended their season with a loss against Illinois State in the first round of the Credit Union 1 MVC Tournament. Despite the defeat, Gift Uchenna was recognized by the MVC for her performance throughout the season, earning spots on both the All-MVC Third Team and All-Newcomer Team.

In track and field, athletes are preparing for their outdoor season opener at the Ole Miss Classic in Oxford, Mississippi.

The softball team had a successful start to their conference play by sweeping Illinois State in a three-game series. Emily Williams played a key role with RBIs across all games. Pitchers Emma Gipson, McKenzie Newcomb, Kiana McDowell contributed significantly to maintaining shutouts during these matches.

Baseball saw mixed results this week. Kristian Sprawling received recognition as MVC Player of the Week after impressive batting statistics from last weekend. However, SIU faced losses against Western Kentucky and Morehead State but managed one victory over Morehead State during their series.

The Women's NCAA Championships will see Celia Pulido and Olivia Herron representing SIU in Federal Way, Washington. Meanwhile, women's golf finished last at Notre Dame's Clover Cup but will have another opportunity to compete at Furman's Coach Mo Classic later this month.

For updates on Saluki athletics, fans can follow them on social media platforms or download their mobile app.