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Eastern Illinois announced a decorated group of former student-athletes that will be inducted as members of the Panthers Athletic Hall of Fame for the Class of 2023.  The Hall of Fame weekend will take place on October 20-21 with this year's ceremony on Friday evening prior to the football team's game against Bryant University.

Among the honors won by this year's group of inductees are one individual national championship, two Olympic appearances, ten All-American honors, four OVC Player of the Year honors and countless listings in their respective sports career top ten rankings.    

LISTED BELOW ARE SHORT BIOS ON EACH INDUCTEE (Athletes are listed with hometown and high school)…
 
Lauren Doyle (Macon, Illinois / Meridian HS / Rugby, Track & Field 2009-13)  has become one of the most successful Eastern Illinois athletes on the world stage as she continues to represent the United States as a member on the Team USA Women's Rugby Sevens squad.  Doyle competed in both rugby and track & field at Eastern Illinois twice earning offensive MVP honors for the women's rugby team as the leading scorer.  She earned a spot as a member of the US National Women's Rugby Team in 2013 and has been a member since that time currently scheduled to compete for Team USA at the World Championships this fall.  Doyle has been a two-time Olympian representing the US at the 2016 Summer Games in Rio where the team placed 5th.  She would once again represent America in the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo which were moved to 2021 due to COVID. 
 
Mark Gronowski (Titusville, Florida / Titusville HS / Wrestling 1979-82) was a standout wrestler for Eastern Illinois during the programs final days as a Division II member and as the athletic department transitioned into its current Division I status.  He would finish his EIU career ranked third in career pins for the Panthers ranked behind EIU Hall of Fame selections Dave Klemm and Gene Savegnago.  In 1981 Gronowski was the NCAA Division II National Champion wrestling at 167 pounds.  He would finish the season with a 36-5 record.  As the national champion at the NCAA Division II level, Gronowski received an invitation to compete at the 1981 NCAA National Championships where he would be eliminated by future Olympic Gold Medalist Mark Schultz from Oklahoma.
 
Haleigh Knapp (Morris, Illinois / Morris Community HS / Track & Field 2015-18) dominated the high jump during her four years as a member of the Eastern Illinois track & field programs.  She was a seven-time event champion winning four straight indoor high jump titles and three straight outdoor OVC crowns.  She holds both the Eastern Illinois and Ohio Valley Conference records for indoor and outdoor high jump ranking as the only EIU female athlete to ever pass the 6' mark in both indoor and outdoor high jump events.  Knapp was a three-time qualifier for the NCAA West Regional in outdoor track and was a second team All-American in 2018 placing 12th in the nation at the NCAA Indoor National Championships.  She was the 2018 OVC Indoor and Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year.
 
Jordan Kreke (Bartelso, Illinois / Breese Mater Dei HS / Baseball 2006-09)  was an instrumental part of the Panthers baseball success in the late 2000's wrapping up his career in 2009 earning Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year honors as he led EIU to a regular season OVC championship.  The prior year Kreke was a starter as the Panthers won the OVC Tournament advancing to their second NCAA Tournament playing in the 2008 Lincoln, Nebraska Regional.  He was a semifinalist for the Brooks Wallace Award and earned third team All-America honors in 2009.  Kreke finished his career ranked in the top five in five different offensive categories including career doubles while still ranking in the career top ten in RBI.  He was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 13th round of the MLB Draft reaching the Triple AAA level with Oklahoma City playing five professional seasons.
 
Hanna Mennenga (Gifford, Illinois / Rantoul HS / Softball 2012-14) was one of the top strike out pitchers in Eastern Illinois softball history as the junior college transfer finished her playing days in the top five in both career wins and strike outs at EIU despite only playing three years in a Panther uniform.  Mennenga was twice named to the All-OVC team and in 2013 pitched EIU to the Ohio Valley Conference regular season title.  She was named the OVC Pitcher of the Year in 2013 winning 23 game which ranks second on the EIU single season list.  She came back her senior year in 2014 winning 20 games becoming the only pitcher in school history with back-to-back 20-win seasons in the circle.  Mennenga added first team All-Mideast Region honors during her career.
 
Collin Seibert (Oswego, Illinois / Oswego HS / Football 2010-14) was a mainstay on the Panthers offensive line during a very productive offensive period for the Eastern Illinois football team.  Seibert was selected as an All-American six different times in his career and was a consensus first-team All-American in 2014.  He was a three-time first-team All-OVC selection and in 2013 was named the OVC Offensive Lineman of the Year as the Panthers were ranked No. 2 in the nation and featured one of the most potent offensive attacks in the nation.  He was also a member of the Panthers 2012 OVC Championship team.  Seibert was named to the FCS All-Decade Team as an offensive lineman for the 2010's.