Eastern Illinois volleyball will host the OVC tournament for the second time in three years. The Panthers last hosted in 2023, where they went on to win both the OVC regular season and tournament titles. Eastern Illinois volleyball has won their fourth regular season title, and it is the second time they are co-champions. The previous OVC co-champion season was in 2004. The Panthers and Morehead State shared the regular season title, but Eastern Illinois held the tiebreak as a result of EIU sweeping the Eagles last week.  

Regular Season Highlights: Prior to the 2025 season, EIU was picked to finish 8th in the preseason poll. Now, the Panthers have won two out of the last three regular season OVC titles. Head Coach Ryan Millar has shined in his first year at the helm for the Panthers, leading them to a 15-3 OVC record and 21-7 overall. This is the eighth time in program history the team has reached 20+ wins. On top of their impressive overall record, the Panthers remain unbeaten at home with a 9-0 record, which is the best regular season home record since 2013. Eastern Illinois ended conference play and will enter the OVC tournament with multiple top-two finishes in statistical categories. For starters, Emma Schroeder leads the OVC in blocks with 106 total blocks (1.13 per set). Sticking with the defense, Ariadna Pereles ranks second in the OVC with 519 assists (4.99 per set). On the offensive side, Destiny Walker and Katie Kopshever continue to direct the Panthers' offense. Walker is slotted at second in the conference for kills per game with 392 (4.04 per set). Kopshever ranks 9th in the OVC for kills with 295 (3.17 per set). These two stars have dominated offensively with the help of Catalina Rochaix, who leads the OVC in assists with 1066 (10.77 per set). Other key contributors apart from Millar's rotation have come to life in the later half of OVC play. The preseason player to watch, Lilli Amettis, has been productive on both sides. Offensively, she has totaled 266.5 points and 234 kills. Defensively, she has produced 56 blocks, including 6 in the last game against Tennessee Tech. Anaya Rawlinson has found her footing defensively, producing 93 blocks over the course of the season. Finally, Tori Mohesky has led the team throughout the season in service aces with 37. 

About Lindenwood: Lindenwood arrives on campus with an 11-15 (7-11 OVC) record. Prior to their regular season final victory over Little Rock, the Lions were on a 5-match losing streak. The Lions are coached by Will Condon, who is in his ninth season at the helm. Coach Condon leads a young and talented group, including multiple underclassman contributors. Autumn Bax, a sophomore who has led the Lions offense with 336 kills, is followed by Ashley Geluck, who has 262 kills. Amelia Thro leads the team in assists with 532. Defensively, Dana Grib and Jade Roth have been vital for coach Condon. The Panthers will want to avoid Grib, who is the leader in digs with 423, while Roth ranks in the OVC top ten in blocks with 78. As a team, the Lions ranked first in the OVC for opponent digs with 13.35 per set. In addition, Lindenwood ranks fourth in the OVC in three separate categories (Hitting Percentage, Opponent Assists, and team assists).  

All-Time Series: The all-time series is tied 4-4 after EIU swept the Lions in the two conference openers this season. These two programs battled in late September at Eastern Illinois, which resulted in the Panthers winning both matches 3-1. Rochaix was dominant, totaling 90 assists, Walker produced 20 kills in match one, and Amettis had 4 blocks. For Lindenwood, Autumn Bax directed the team's offense with 31 kills over the weekend. Last year, the Lions swept Eastern Illinois in both matches.  

OVC Tourney Bracket: 

The Championship Match will be played on Tuesday, November 25, at 6 p.m. CT. The entire championship will be broadcast on ESPN+. All Times are Central.

EIU will face Lindenwood at 4:00 PM, with the winner advancing to the semifinals on Monday.