 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.A member of the Missouri Valley Conference, Southern Illinois University Carbondale currently sponsors 16 sports—eight each for men and women—in NCAA-sanctioned competition.