SIU Softball Head Coach Kerri Blaylock has signed a contract extension that will keep her with the Salukis at least through the 2023 season.
Now in her 21st season at Southern, Blaylock is the winningest coach in program history. The Herrin native is seven wins shy of becoming the third coach in Missouri Valley Conference softball history to reach the 700-win plateau and 46 wins shy of passing Itchy Jones for the most wins by a head coach - male or female - in SIU's athletic history.
Under Blaylock, the Salukis have made seven NCAA Tournament appearances and have won at least 30 games in 17 of her 20 seasons at the helm. From 2003-2007, the Salukis made five-straight NCAA Tournament appearances and remain the only program in MVC history to reach five-consecutive NCAA Tournaments.
Blaylock has earned five MVC Coaching Staff of the Year honors and is the fastest coach in MVC history to reach 500 career wins.
The Salukis have received 90 All-MVC honors under Blaylock, including 46 first-team nods and have earned 31 All-Region accolades. In the classroom, Southern has had 14 Academic All-Americans during Blaylock's tenure and have finished in the top-10% of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association's Team GPA rankings in all 18 seasons in which the NFCA has compiled the rankings. Southern has twice finished as high as No. 2 nationally in team GPA and have ranked in the Top-10 in 13 of the 18 seasons.
The Salukis informally kick off their fall schedule with a Sunday doubleheader at Charlotte West Stadium.
