Missy Tiber’s office in Lingle Hall is relatively empty, but the new Saluki women’s basketball coach is ready to make some additions to the d’eacute;cor.

‘I hope to bring some trophies, but that’s going to take a little bit of time,’ Tiber said Tuesday.

It has been nearly four weeks since Tiber was named to replace Dana Eikenberg as the SIU women’s basketball coach, a period Tiber describes as ‘whirlwind.’

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Since joining SIU, Tiber has secured two of Eikenberg’s recruits, including highly touted point guard Katerina Garcia and has brought Teri Oliver to the program as well. Tiber also said more recruiting news could be on its way by the end of the week.

Outside the basketball world, Tiber recently wrapped up her move to southern Illinois as detailed in a recent update on her Twitter account.

Add Tiber to the list of coaches to have joined the social networking tool that provides updates up to 140 characters. Tiber said she followed former women’s basketball star and current ESPN analyst Rebecca Lobo while at the Final Four.

The new Saluki hoops head coach said using Twitter could help bring more visibility to the program.

‘I think that’s just another way to take our program from inside this box I think we’ve lived in the last couple of years to outside to where people can figure out what’s going on with the program,’ she said.

Tiber said she wants one thing to come out of the social networking experiment.

‘I’m hoping to get some fans. My whole goal this year is to get one fan at a time. Whether it’s someone that I’m talking to at a drive thru to pick up a Coke or just being out in the community, that’s my whole focus,’ she said.

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‘Whether I’m going to the grocery store or Wal-Mart, those are all community things that I think sometimes people take for granted. I’m going to be out, but I’m going to talk to people too.’

Tiber said she appreciates the kind of reception she has received in her time at SIU so far. Whether it was at one of the stops on the Saluki Caravan that traveled across the Midwest or a chance encounter at a local eatery, Tiber said fans have been receptive and people are excited about the program’s new direction.

As for the next step, Tiber said she has one more big purchase in mind.

‘I’ve got a bunch of furniture, so next it’s going to be a big flat screen so when I am entertaining my team. That’s something I like to do, I like to have them over. Whether it’s to cook for them or watch a game, I’m looking forward to that,’ Tiber said.