Cougars have better growth potential than Salukis

  - Todd Hefferman, The Southern.

Carbondale fans can't be happy about this, but I sure am.

Here's the scary part about Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's athletic program. The Cougars have better growth potential than SIUC, as of today, and have already experienced Division I success before they're even fully postseason eligible.

The men's soccer team came penalty kicks from an automatic berth to the NCAA tournament in its first year of eligibility last year. The softball team, which won the national championship in Division II two years ago, finished just under .500 in its first Division I season.

Both squads have terrific facilities in which to play and recruit.

The baseball team has such a great facility it was locked up Wednesday when I tried to shoot some video for this weekend's series. The Simmons Baseball Complex has an overhanging grandstand, a pristine field and a pretty good-sized scoreboard. The Cougars were 19-4 at home for a reason, and finished 28-24 with a mostly Ohio Valley Conference schedule.

Compared to Abe Martin Field, you have to say "Advantage: SIUE," despite the Salukis probably having better talent. The Simmons Baseball Complex isn't really close to anything (it's a few miles from the next-closest athletic facility), but also has lots of room to grow.

Talent-wise, SIUC challenged for the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season title, you have to remember, without its two best players. First baseman Chris Serritella, who was drafted despite not playing a single game in 2011, and reliever Lee Weld both missed the season with injuries.

SIUC went 23-34 and 11-10 in the league. The Valley had four teams that won more than 30 games, with one, Creighton, winning more than 40 after reaching the NCAA tournament. SIUC beat Creighton in their season series, 2-1, on the road.

The OVC had three teams win at least 30 games.

SIUC has clear advantages in basketball facility, enrollment and regional and national prestige. The Salukis boast a practically brand-new arena, an enrollment of more than 20,000 despite struggling to increase it the last few years, and a big name despite its hoop struggles. Not many teams still want to come to SIU Arena to play basketball, men or women.

Here is what SIUE does have going for it. The Cougars won't eclipse SIUC, at least not any time soon, but they have a better opportunity to grow their programs because of their location.

Edwardsville, which has grown in population the last 10 years, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, is a mover. The Metro East, as a whole, is a growing base for folks to enjoy St. Louis without smelling the traffic right outside the door. Belleville, Collinsville, Edwardsville. They're all adding businesses. SIUE, with Edwardsville, seemed to have lots of room to build and expand when I drove through campus Wednesday. It's 20 miles from the airport, and about 20 minutes from downtown St. Louis.

The Cougars' enrollment grew to more than 14,000 last year, and has been growing the last five years, athletic director Dr. Brad Hewitt said. Founded just over 50 years ago, SIUE has less than 100,000 alumni nationwide, and at least half of them live within 50 miles of the campus, according to the school's research.

That's an incredible base, which means incredible potential. And when you're starting out on a new venture, as the Cougars are this year, potential and enthusiasm can be a great thing.
TODD HEFFERMAN is a sports reporter for The Southern Illinoisan. Contact him at todd.hefferman@thesouthern.com or 618-351-5087. You can also follow him on Twitter @Todd_Hefferman.

Read more: http://thesouthern.com/news/opinion/editorial/hefferman/article_a1114616-ae9c-11e0-a75b-001cc4c002e0.html#ixzz1SJdSTmzu

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