Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Baseball

Lance Rhodes begins his seventh season at the helm of the Saluki baseball program in 2026. He enters the season with a 196-116 overall record in six seasons....

Connor Dailey enters his third year at Southern Illinois University as the Director of Pitching Development, working closely with the pitchers at every level. Prior to SIU, Dailey served as the Pitching Coach at Southeastern University (NAIA), where his pitching staff helped lead the program to over 100 wins in two seasons. Highlighted by the 2022 NAIA National Championship. During his tenure, Southeastern produced the NAIA National Pitcher of the Year, the 2023 NAIA National Reliever of the Year, 4 All Americans, and set the all-time NAIA single-season team strikeout record in 2023. Five pitchers from those staffs are currently playing professional baseball in Minor League Baseball (MiLB). Dailey began his collegiate coaching career at Catawba Valley Community College in Hickory, N.C., where his pitchers earned two Regional Pitcher of the Year honors. He also spent 3 summers as a Head Coach in the CPL with the Forest City Owls. As a player, Dailey competed at the collegiate level at Lenoir-Rhyne University, and he is a graduate of R.S. Central High School in Rutherfordton, North Carolina. Dailey holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Lenoir Rhyne and earned his MBA from Southeastern University. He and his wife, Meredith, were recently married and reside in Carterville.

Jake Ryan enters his fifth season on the Saluki baseball staff in 2026, serving as Southern Illinois’ Recruiting Coordinator/ Assistant Hitting Coach/ Catchi...

Ryan McClaran joined the Saluki baseball program as the pitching coach prior to the 2026 season after a three-year stint at Louisiana Monroe. Over his time w...

Tony Caldwell enters his first season on the Saluki baseball staff in 2026, serving as Southern Illinois' Hitting Coach. In his first season at Florida South...