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Eastern Illinois Athletic Director Tom Michael has announced a change in leadership with the Panthers women's basketball program as Marqus McGlothan has been named the interim head coach.
 
McGlothan replaces Matt Bollant who will step down at the end of May to pursue other professional coaching opportunities at Bryan University.
 
McGlothan will be entering his third season with the EIU program having helped coach the program to back-to-back second place finishes in the Ohio Valley Conference regular season with the team twice making the OVC Tournament semifinals.
 
"Words can't express how grateful I am for this opportunity.  I appreciate President Jay Gatrell and Athletic Director Tom Michael for having confidence in my ability to lead this program.  I want to thank God for this because without HIM, none of this is possible," said McGlothan.  "We have a talented team with exceptional parents, so our expectations are high.  Coach Bollant did a phenomenal job on building this program to where it is today.  I've learned a lot from coaching under him and I am ready for the pressure that comes with this job.  Growing up as a kid, my dad told me that pressure either busts pipes or makes diamonds.  I'm here to say we are going to make diamonds at Eastern Illinois."
 
"I am excited to announce Coach McGlothan as the head coach at Eastern Illinois," said Michael.  "This was a quickly evolving situation and in the current transfer portal era of college athletics, I felt like our program needed stability.  Marqus has show his ability as an up-and-coming coach over the last two years on staff and the results on the court and in player development are evidence of that.  The players on the current roster I spoke with expressed confidence with his ability to coach and lead this program as we continue to battle for top finishes in the OVC standings. 
 
McGlothan joined the EIU staff for the 2022-23 season and was quickly elevated to associate head coach last season.  Prior to his time at EIU, McGlothan worked one season as an assistant coach at his alma mater, St. Cloud State.  He was a successful AAU coach with time at the North Tartan Nike EYBL where he earned AAU Coach of the Year Honors in 2019 by PrepHoops.com. 
 
McGlothan coached several current and former EIU players during their development years and has worked with returning OVC Player of the Year Macy McGlone during her two seasons as a first team All-OVC selection.
 
Bollant leaves the program following seven years as the head coach with an EIU record of 96-112 including a 64-64 record in the OVC.  He guided EIU to second place OVC regular season finishes in each of the last two years with OVC Tournament semifinal appearances.
 
"I am really proud of the type of young women we have brought here and the impact they have had on Eastern Illinois and this community," said Bollant.  "I want to thank the EIU administration and Tom Michael for believing in me and hiring me to the be the women's basketball coach at EIU.  We have loved the Charleston community and the people at Eastern. It has brought me great joy to take the program from last to second in the OVC the last two years."