CARBONDALE, Ill. – Southern Illinois University women’s basketball head coach Kelly Bond-White has announced that Saluki Hall of Famer Cartaesha Macklin is returning to SIU to become an assistant coach on the team’s coaching staff.
“Connecting the foundation of SIU Women’s Basketball with our current team was one of the most important things for us to do once arriving at SIU,” Bond-White said. “We wanted to make this a family, where former players, administrators, managers, and coaches were proud to come back and show off their highlights and photos running on reels throughout our office. In this hire, I wanted someone invested, hungry, and who breathed and bled SIU. I wanted someone who could assist in developing our players on the floor. However, I also needed someone with the business acumen to shore up our operations.”
Macklin posted a Hall of Fame caliber career as a Saluki during her time with the women’s basketball program from 2011 to 2016. At the end of her prestigious career, Macklin was SIU’s all-time leading scorer with 1,779 points and was the career leader in free throws made (465).
Over the course of her career, Macklin was a three-time All-MVC selection and was the MVC Freshman of the Year in 2012.
Macklin was inducted into the Saluki Hall of Fame in 2021.
“Finding someone who fit all those criteria was a tough job. We know we hit a home run with Cartaesha,” Bond-White said. “While serving in the business sector most recently, she kept her heart and eye on SIU and basketball. From coaching young athletes, to watching our games, and even reaching out, keeping our players encouraged last season. Our players were ecstatic with the news. Watching her and her young son, Carson, interact with the team, I know we made the right choice for the energy we needed.”
Macklin was the first Saluki to ever amass 1,500 career points, 400 assists and 500 rebounds in a career.
“Most impressive for me was Cartaesha’s vulnerability when speaking about her maturation process during her time in Carbondale,” Bond-White said. “She spoke of valleys and peaks on and off the court, but she also spoke of her faith and the grace that led to her degree and name throughout our record books. That’s the vulnerability and accountability I needed my players to be around. Cartaesha also brings a professional, Hall of Fame work ethic, and a philanthropic energy that will help us connect even more into the Southern Illinois community. I am so excited to welcome her and Carson back home.”
The Saluki Hall of Famer will be entering her first season back with the program since 2016.
“I’m truly thankful for this amazing opportunity,” Macklin said. “To be able to give back to this game and these athletes what basketball has given to me.”