Carbondale Reporter

Southern Illinois University (SIU) had a busy week in athletics, with several teams competing and achieving notable results.

In track and field, the outdoor season began at the Ole Miss Classic. Jadon Robertson won the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 14.60 seconds, while Christian Coleman finished second. Andre Jackson II set a personal record in the 200-meter race with a time of 21.23 seconds, earning him a gold medal. Leah Thames also secured first place in the women's 200-meter with her best time of 24.05 seconds. The women's 4x100-meter relay team also claimed victory.

The softball team continued its strong performance in conference play, maintaining an undefeated record. McKenzie Newcomb was named Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week after securing three wins against Illinois State with an ERA of 0.00. SIU defeated Missouri State in two games, highlighted by Erin Lee's grand slam and Sage Grann's walk-off RBI-double on Tuesday, followed by Anna Carder's grand slam on Wednesday. The team then traveled to Valparaiso for a series, winning all three games and showcasing impressive offensive performances from players like Emily Williams and Jackie Lis.

Baseball began Missouri Valley Conference play against UIC over the weekend. After losing the first game on Friday, SIU won both games of Saturday's doubleheader in extra innings. Key performances included home runs from Gabe Petrucelli and Jordan Bach's four-hit game.

Two members of SIU's women's swim and dive team competed at the NCAA Championships. Olivia Herron set new program records in multiple events but did not advance to finals until she earned Second Team All-American honors in the consolation heat of the 200-yard backstroke. Celia Pulido excelled in her events, breaking school records and finishing fourth nationally in the 100-yard backstroke to earn First Team All-American status.

The men's golf team is participating in the Duck Invitational this week.

Fans can follow Saluki Athletics on social media platforms or download their mobile app for updates.