For the first time in program history an Eastern Illinois women's basketball player has been named the Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year as junior forward
Macy McGlone earned that honor for the 2023-24 season. McGlone earned OVC Player of the Year honors and also collected OVC Defensive Player of the Year honors becoming only the second player in OVC history to capture both awards in the same season.
McGlone led the All-OVC first-team selections with teammate
Miah Monahan named to the second team.
EIU tied for second in the OVC regular season standings and based on tiebreakers will open the OVC Tournament on Thursday as the No. 4 seed. EIU will play at 1 p.m. against the winner of Wednesday's opening round game between Morehead State and Tennessee State.
McGlone was named the OVC Player of the Week seven times during the regular season including following the final week of the regular season. She put together one of the most dominant seasons in program history setting two school single season records while still chasing two others as the Panthers head to the OVC Tournament. McGlone has collected 25 double-doubles this season which ranks second in the NCAA this season. She set the school single season record for the category and her total ranks as the second most in OVC single season history. In the final regular season game, McGlone set the EIU single season record for rebounds finishing the season with 371 rebounds. That total is third in the NCAA this season with her 12.0 rebounds per game average ranking fourth in the NCAA. The 371 rebounds rank ninth on the OVC single season list. From a scoring standpoint, McGlone averaged 18.1 points per game. She has 562 points this season which ranks fourth on the EIU single season list. McGlone has turned away 57 shots this season and needs four more to tie the EIU single season mark. For the year McGlone is second in the OVC in scoring while leading the league in rebounding, field goal percentage and blocked shots.
Monahan earned her first All-OVC honor being named to the OVC second team as she was among the league leaders in assists this season. Monahan led the OVC in total assists with 156 which ranks eighth on the EIU single season list. She was second in the OVC in assists per game at 5.0 and ranked sixth in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio. Twice this season Monahan passed out ten assists including the first time in her first career double-double at New Mexico (16 pts / 10 ast). She posted her second career double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds at Tennessee State. Monahan scored a season high 27 points during the season and finished year averaging 11.2 points per game.
McGlone joins Ta'Kenya Nixon as EIU players to win OVC Defensive Player of the Year honors. Nixon won the award twice in 2010 and 2012. Jasmine Newsome from UT Martin is the only other OVC player to win both the Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year Award in the same year (2013).
2023-24 All-OVC Women's Basketball Teams and Award Winners
OVC Player of the Year: Macy McGlone, Eastern Illinois
OVC Freshman of the Year: Raegan McCowan, Western Illinois
OVC Defensive Player of the Year: Macy McGlone, Eastern Illinois
OVC Coach of the Year: Rick Stein, Southern Indiana
1st Team
Jayla Brooks, Little Rock
Anaya Brown, UT Martin
Veronica Charles, Morehead State
Kenley McCarn, UT Martin
Raegan McCowan, Western Illinois
Macy McGlone, Eastern Illinois
Maaliya Owens, Tennessee Tech
Meredith Raley, Southern Indiana
Vanessa Stafford, Southern Indiana
Sanaa' St. Andre, Tennessee State
2nd Team
Ellie Brueggemann, Lindenwood
Alecia Doyle, Southeast Missouri
Miah Monahan, Eastern Illinois
Katie Novik, Morehead State
Madi Webb, Southern Indiana
All Newcomer
Ellie Brueggemann, Lindenwood
Kenley McCarn, UT Martin
Raegan McCowan, Western Illinois
Ali Saunders, Southern Indiana
Sanaa' St. Andre, Tennessee State
