Eastern Illinois Panthers


The Eastern Illinois Panthers are the intercollegiate athletic programs of Eastern Illinois University located in Charleston, Illinois, United States. The Panthers athletic program is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference and competes at the NCAA Division I level in the Football Championship Subdivision. EIU's colors are blue and gray. Selected as the team mascot in 1930, EIU's panther, was informally known as "Billy" for many years and was officially named "Billy the Panther" in 2008. Panther teams have won five NCAA national championships in three sports. The Panthers also won the 1969 NAIA men's soccer title.

History

Eastern Illinois athletics began in the school's very first year, with the inaugural football team taking the field only three weeks after the first students arrived on campus in 1899.
Eastern Illinois was a member of the Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference from 1912 to 1970. From 1978 to 1982 they were members of the Mid Continent Athletic Association which was absorbed by the Association of Mid-Continent Universities later known as the Mid-Continent Conference now the Summit League till 1996. In 1996 they joined the Ohio Valley Conference which is their current conference.
A member of the Ohio Valley Conference since 1996, Eastern Illinois University sponsors teams in ten men's and ten women's NCAA sanctioned sports. The Panthers' men's soccer team and men's and women's swimming teams compete as associate members of the Summit League since those sports are not sponsored by the OVC.

Sports sponsored

Baseball

The Panther baseball team has appeared in two NCAA Division I Baseball Championship, in 1999 and 2008.

Basketball

Men's basketball

Team Championships:
National Finishes:
Individual National Champions:

Men's soccer

The Panther women’s soccer team has appeared in four NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Tournaments in 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004.

Softball

The Panther softball team has appeared in two Women's College World Series, in 1971 and 1974.

Men’s swimming and diving

Individual National Champions:
Team Championships :
Individual Champions:
The Eastern Illinois volleyball team has been the Ohio Valley Conference champions in 1998 and co champions in 2004. The volleyball team has made one NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Tournament appearance in 2001.

Athletic facilities

Current facilities

Facilities are housed on the west side of the EIU campus between 4th Street and Grant Avenue.
Men's and women's golf practice at four local courses including Charleston Country Club, Mattoon Country Club, Meadowview Golf Course and Bent Tree Golf Course.

Former facilities

Baseball