Southern Illinois Salukis The Southern Illinois Salukis are the varsity athletic teams representing Southern Illinois University Carbondale . The nickname comes from the saluki , the royal dog of Egypt and the Persian greyhound , which ties into the fact that southern Illinois has had the nickname " Little Egypt " for just under 200 years . The Salukis play their home basketball games at SIU Arena and football games at Saluki Stadium . Southern Illinois University was a member of the Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference from 1913 to 1962 . Mascot . SIU ' s sports mascot is the Saluki . A Saluki is one of the oldest dog breeds , and is an Egyptian hunting dog similar to a greyhound or whippet . SIU ' s teams originally competed under the team name " Maroons " from 1913 to 1951 . Then the Saluki was chosen as SIU ' s mascot on March 19 , 1951 in part because the southern Illinois region is colloquially known as Little Egypt . Teams . Southern Illinois University Carbondale sponsors nine men ' s and nine women ' s teams in NCAA sanctioned sports : Men ' s Intercollegiate Sports Women ' s Intercollegiate Sports Men ' s basketball . The school athletics may be best known for the men ' s basketball program . Success for the Salukis has been recent and historical . SIU has advanced to six consecutive NCAA Tournaments ( 2002 – 2007 ) , advancing to two Sweet 16s and accruing an NCAA Tournament record of 5 - 6 during that time . SIU is also the 1967 NIT Champions led by NBA Hall of Famer Walt Frazier . Chris Lowery was the coach of the Salukis and led the team to the NCAA tournament every year from the 2004 - 05 season through the 2006 - 07 season , where they made an appearance in the Sweet Sixteen . He was let go from the school following the 2011 - 2012 season . On March 28 , 2012 , Barry Hinson was named head coach . Football . SIU competes in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision ( formerly known as 1 - AA ) in the Missouri Valley Football Conference . SIU has been ranked in the Top - 20 of the FCS Coaches Poll for 54 straight weeks . The Salukis have won 40 games since 2003 , ranking 12th in Division 1 football during that time span . The team is coached by Dale Lennon , who had previous success at the University of North Dakota . SIU Football has won numerous conference championship and in 1983 The Salukis won the NCAA Division I - AA Champions , with a 43 - 7 win over Western Carolina . Men ' s gymnastics . SIU ' s also had a men ' s gymnastics team until the program was canceled in 1989 . From 1956 until the program was canceled , Bill Meade was the coach of the team . During that time the program turned out 55 NCAA All - Americans and 15 NCAA Individual National Champions while winning four NCAA Division I championships in 1964 , 1966 , 1967 , and 1972 . The Men ' s Gymnastics program also holds the longest winning streak of any SIU program winning 68 consecutive meets from 1961 to 1968 . Facilities . Saluki Way . On September 9 , 2005 , the plans for Saluki Way were unveiled by Chancellor Walter Wendler . The plan called for the construction of a new football stadium , renovation of SIU Arena , a new track and field complex , renovation and new additions of academic buildings , a remodeled Morris Library , and other campus improvements . Saluki Stadium . SIU Football plays at the new 15 , 000 - seat Saluki Stadium , which replaces McAndrew Stadium . The new stadium was part of the university ' s larger athletic facilities plan , " Saluki Way , " to renovate and restructure the campus athletic facilities . Saluki Stadium opened on September 2 , 2010 when a sellout crowd of 15 , 200 watched the Salukis defeat Quincy 70 - 7 . The new football stadium is currently named Saluki Stadium . As of right now , no official naming rights that have been sold . SIU Arena . SIU Arena is a 10 , 000 - seat arena on the SIUC campus , it is the home of Saluki men ' s and women ' s basketball teams . The arena underwent a renovation as a part of Saluki Way . Troutt - Wittman Center . The Troutt - Wittmann Academic and Training Center , a state - of - the - art facility to give Saluki athletes the opportunity to gain help with their studies , as well as train and condition , was built with a donation by SIU alumnus and former Saluki football player Thomas Wittmann .