The Daily Egyptian is published by the students of SIU at Carbondale. Except during vacations and exam weeks, The Daily Egyptian is published Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and TWThF during the summer semester."

The Eikenberg era begins

Halloween was just another Sunday for Dana Eikenberg.

The only thing in her office possibly denoting the day's passage was a bowl of candy that looked virtually untouched.

Aside from the pristine bowl of candy, Eikenberg's office contained folders with practice plans, a filled dry-erase board and a television she watches film of her new team on.

Eikenberg, the seventh and newest head coach in the history of SIU women's basketball, doesn't have time to partake in the usual Halloween festivities - she's too busy exorcising the demons that have plagued Saluki women's basketball.

Many Saluki sports fans know the dire situation Eikenberg has inherited.

The Salukis won a mere three games last season, have lost 20 or more games for the past six seasons and accumulated a record of 23-85 in the last four seasons under former head coach Lori Opp.

Eikenberg said she was unsure about taking the coaching position after looking at the results the team had produced in the past few years, but one thing sold her on the job after she visited SIU.

"I think the biggest thing was the people," Eikenberg said with no hesitation. "When I got here and visited with Paul [Kowalczyk] and some of the other coaches, it was very clear to me that there were the resources and foundation in place to build a traditional program." Eikenberg knows a bit about building a program.

She came to Saluki country after successfully rebuilding the women's basketball program at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

The Kangaroos were in dire straits when Eikenberg took the helm. Mirroring the Salukis, UMKC had a 2-25 record before Eikenberg stepped in during the 2000-01 season.

The Kangaroos have now finished second in the Mid-Continent Conference for two consecutive years and posted a 15-14 record last season. Eikenberg resurrected the Kangaroos and SIU is hoping she can do the same here.

It is a high-pressure situation, to say the least, and most of the pressure comes from Eikenberg herself.

"I put an absolute, ungodly amount of pressure on myself," Eikenberg said. "I'm my own toughest critic and no one will ever have to tell me to work harder."

Eikenberg's work ethic is one of the more prominent reasons SIU Athletic Director Paul Kowalczyk sought her out to breath life back into women's basketball.

"She's a go-getter, a doer, a winner, and an aggressive disciplinarian," Kowalczyk said. "She's made a very favorable impression, not only within this department, but in the community."

Kowalczyk said people have come to him with intentions of purchasing season tickets and are showing an excitement for women's basketball he hasn't seen in a great deal of time.

Eikenberg's presence at UMKC sparked a similar outpouring of fan support. For the 2000-01 season, Eikenberg's first as head coach, a paltry total of 1,739 fans attended all 13 home games. By 2003-04, that figure had grown to more than 7,000.

"She has the it-factor, it's the only way I can say it," Kowalczyk said. "You can tell by her personality and determination she can get it done."

The elusive "it" Eikenberg possesses made itself apparent to senior guard Danette Jones upon their first meeting. Jones said she immediately recognized Eikenberg's drive, determination and intensity, all of which have found their way into the team.

Jones said Eikenberg has high expectations, and has brought sweeping changes to the program. Discipline is but one of them, and Eikenberg puts as much effort as her players into everything.

"She expects a lot, but she works her tail off too," Jones said. "She puts in a lot of hours on the court, and, as a player, it's admirable to see your coach do that."

Eikenberg has been at SIU for less than seven months, but her team isn't the only group of people to give her a warm reception.

Eikenberg said the administration has been unwavering in its support of her and the changes she wants to implement. Also, other coaches have helped her and her staff become acclimated to SIU.

Jerry Kill was one coach to offer some words of advice. Kill, head coach of SIU football, was in a similar situation to Eikenberg's just a few years ago.

"He told me patience is something you have to have," Eikenberg said. "He also said not to change things in my program, just to keep it mine."

Even custodians give Eikenberg a cup of coffee in the morning along with words of encouragement after a tough practice, something she appreciates greatly. The result is an atmosphere Eikenberg feels extremely comfortable in. She said UMKC didn't really provide the mentor-like relationships and general support she has already found at SIU.

"This is a more committed university and a more committed athletic department," Eikenberg said. "I don't know if the support was matching the growth of the program [at UMKC], and I don't think that will be a problem here."

Eikenberg won't be carrying all the responsibility squarely on her shoulders. In a testament to the loyalty she inspires, two additional Kangaroo coaches followed her to Carbondale.

Associate head coach Jody Adams and assistant coach Susan Koering are helping in the quest to revitalize women's basketball at SIU. Both coaches worked side-by-side with Eikenberg during the four-year rebirth of UMKC.

There are also the five Kangaroo transfers that came to SIU, knowing they would be forced to sit out a year due to NCAA regulations. Only freshman guard Rachel Boldt was able to win an appeal allowing her to play this year.

"We were shocked when we found out," Eikenberg said. "It's a tough decision to make, but we're happy to have them here with us."

Eikenberg, already displaying the qualities of a Saluki coach, said the transfers didn't come to SIU solely because of her presence. Instead, she attributed much of their decision to Adams and Koering.

Eikenberg said the transfers and returning Salukis have really worked well together, thanks largely to Jones and senior forward Wendy Goodman, two Salukis who Eikenberg calls the leaders of the team. The concerns of the two squads clashing were quickly dispelled, much to Eikenberg's relief.

"We have very mature players here," Eikenberg said. "You've got to have players that believe in the system, and almost all of them do."

Although Eikenberg would probably disagree, much of that belief probably comes from her own dedication. Jones said Eikenberg has made a huge difference in almost every aspect of women's basketball.

"She's a teacher on the court," Jones said. "People are motivated by her intensity."

Eikenberg's intensity is front and center in what could be an exciting time for women's basketball. Of course, with any rebuilding process, time is the foremost factor. It's something Eikenberg knows from personal experience.

Fortunately, Eikenberg said, everyone she has spoken with has been honest about their expectations regarding her arrival at SIU.

"This is a competitive league and it gets better every year," Eikenberg said. "I hope everyone can see around the corner to about our third year."