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Eastern Illinois Athletics wrapped up its 20th year as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference in May.  As a way to celebrate the many accomplishments, both team and individual during that time period, EIU conducted an online poll during the month of May for fans to help select the Top 20 athletes of the Panthers OVC Era.  During the month of June we will unveil the top 20 athletes as selected by the more than 2,500 fan votes submitted.  The original list of 40 athletes was comprised by a committee looking at a variety of criteria including Player of the Year, All-American selection and multiple time first-team All-OVC honors.  
 
#5 Kyle Hill (1998-01)
 
Hill helped lead Eastern Illinois men's basketball to the NCAA Division I Tournament for only the second time in school history being named the OVC Tournament MVP in 2001 as the Panthers won one of the most memorable OVC Tournament Games ever played.  Hill was a prolific scorer that finished second in the nation in scoring as a senior averaging 23.8 points per game.  In the OVC Tournament Hill averaged 33 points per game with 40 points in the opening round against Morehead State and 31 points in the OVC Championship game against Austin Peay.   He closed his collegiate career with 32 points in the NCAA Tournament against Arizona.  Hill finished his career with 1,819 points, a total that ranks third all-time at EIU.  He was a three time All-OVC selection with first team honors in 2000 and 2001.  Hill finished his career ranked in the top five at EIU in career steals (2nd with 168), 3-pointers (3rd with 211) and assists (5th with 310).   He would be named the MVP of the NABC Collegiate All-Star game at the 2001 Final Four.     
 
Hill was a second round NBA Draft Pick by the Dallas Mavericks and recently ended a professional basketball career abroad.  He was inducted into the EIU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008 and now works training athletes in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.

EIU OVC Era Top 20 Countdown
#20 - Meleah Cutler (Volleyball / 1996-99)
#19 - Sean Lyons (Baseball / 1996-99)
#18 – Rick Kaye (Men's Basketball / 1995-98)
#17 – Jade Riebold (W Track / 2012-14)
#16 – Rachel Galligan (W Basketball / 2006-09)
#15 – Cara LeMaster (W Soccer / 1999-02)
#14 – Erica Gerth (Volleyball / 2001-04)
#13 – Kandace Arnold (W Track / 2007-10)
#12 – Reynae Hutchinson (Volleyball & Softball / 2010-14)
#11 – Erik Lora (Football / 2009-13)
#10 – Amber May (Softball / 2009-11)
#9 – Beth Liesen (W Soccer / 2000-03)
#8 – Mick Viken (M Track & Field / 2011-14)
#7 – J.R. Taylor (Football / 1999-2002)
#6 – Zye Boey (M Track & Field / 2009-12)

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