Eastern Illinois University Athletics

Eastern Illinois women's basketball opened and closed its 2009-10 OVC championship campaign in the Preseason and Postseason WNIT Tournaments. The Panthers were one of four teams in the country to participate in both events, joining Florida Gulf Coast, New Mexico and North Carolina A&T .

Eastern represented the OVC in both the 16-team Preseason WNIT and 64-team Postseason WNIT, earning the league’s automatic bid to the expanded 64-team field after winning the regular-season conference title. The Panthers made their first appearances in both events and played their first national postseason game since participating in the 1988 NCAA Tournament. Eastern lost at Marquette in the first round of the Postseason WNIT, March 18 in Milwaukee.

The Panthers opened their season with a loss at eventual Preseason WNIT champion Ohio State. Eastern was placed in the Little Rock consolation pod hosted by Arkansas-Little Rock, losing to UTEP and defeating Northern Colorado.

The following is a compilation of links related to the 2009-10 Preseason & Postseason WNITs.

March 18: EIU's season ends with WNIT loss at Marquette
March 17: EIU Milwaukee bound to face Marquette in WNIT
March 15: EIU draws Marquette in opening round of WNIT
March 07: EIU to represent the OVC in Postseason WNIT
Nov. 21: Nixon leads EIU to comeback win vs Northern Colorado
Nov. 20: EIU's comeback comes up short vs UTEP
Nov. 17: EIU begins busy stretch in WNIT consolation
Nov. 14: EIU to continue WNIT play in Little Rock
Nov. 13: EIU drops season-opener at Ohio State
Nov. 11: EIU begins WNIT play at third-ranked Ohio State
Nov. 09: EIU to open at Ohio State; Preseason WNIT tips off Friday
June 30: EIU to open new campaign in Preseason WNIT