Kendall Grover became the first player in Ohio Valley Conference history to repeat as Conference Player of the Year while McKenzie Oslanzi became the fourth Eastern Illinois player to collect OVC Pitcher of the Year honors as the conference office released its year end awards on Tuesday (May 6).
 
EIU, which won its second straight OVC regular season title, had eight total All-OVC selections including five players named to the OVC first team. Joining Grover and Oslanzi on the All-OVC first team were pitchers Karlie McKenzie, outfielder Karson Davey and designated player Morgan Hance.   Abbey Crain was a second team All-OVC selection with Hance and Abbi Hatton both named to the All-OVC Newcomer team.
 
The Panthers play in the OVC Tournament this week at Louisville Slugger Park in Peoria, Illinois.   EIU enters as the No. 1 seed in the event and will play at 12:30 pm on Thursday after receiving a double-bye.  EIU will face the winner of the Southern Indiana versus Lindenwood/UT Martin game winner in that game. 
 
Grover won her second straight OVC Player of the Year award sharing the honor with Payton Brown of Western Illinois.   It was Grover's third straight first-team All-OVC selection after earning OVC Freshman of the Year honors in 2023.   The junior third baseman hit .418 during the regular season with 14 doubles, two triples, ten home runs and 33 RBI.  She drew a league high 29 walks finishing the season with an on-base percentage of .513.  In OVC play she was even better at the plate increasing that season average to .439 with an on-base percentage of .543 and slugging percentage of .841.  Grover is the first player in conference history to win back-to-back OVC Player of the Year honors and just the second in conference history to win the award twice (Jessica Twaddle, Murray State in 2015 & 2017).  Grover was the second player in EIU history to win OVC Player of the Year honors when she won her first award last season joining Megan Burton who won in 2021.
 
Oslanzi, last year's OVC Freshman of the Year, became the Panthers fourth OVC Pitcher of the Year selection while earning first team All-OVC honors for the second straight year.  Oslanzi was 19-12 on the season with a 2.43 ERA while striking out 117 batters in 181.1 innings of work.   In OVC play she was even better with a 13-5 record and a 1.71 ERA.  Oslanzi had 82 strikeouts compared to just 22 walks in OVC play during 94.1 innings in the circle.   In addition, she added three saves for the season and posted four shutouts.  This past week she was named the OVC Pitcher of the Week for the second time this season as she went 3-0 with a save picking up all three wins in EIU's OVC regular season title clinching series sweep at Western Illinois.   She joins Amber May (2011), Hanna Mennenga (2013) and Olivia Price (2023) as EIU winners of the award.
 
McKenzie joined her fellow pitching staff teammate on the All-OVC first team.  McKenzie was versatile for the Panthers during the season pitching 108.1 innings as both a starter and reliever.  She ranks second on the EIU single season record book list with five saves this season while posting a 9-3 record overall with a 2.84 ERA and 89 strikeouts.  In OVC action McKenzie lowered those numbers to a 1.87 ERA in 67.1 innings of work with a 6-0 record and four saves.   It marked the first time since 1998 that two pitchers from the same team both earned first team All-OVC honors (third time ever in OVC history – EKU in 1998 / SEMO in 1996).
 
Davey earned first team All-OVC honors as an outfielder after collecting second team honors last year.  The sophomore started all 50 games in centerfield and ended the season with a .305 batting average with eight doubles, a triple and 17 RBI.  In OVC play Davey increased that batting average to hit .368 against conference foes with 11 RBI. 
 
Hance was a double award winner for the Panthers earning first team All-OVC honors at designated player and All-OVC Newcomer team honors.  The freshman hit .415 for the season with that average climbing to .421 in OVC play.  Hance took over the designated player position during conference play and thrived in that role.  Hance had three doubles and 15 RBI while laying down six sacrifice bunts, second most on the team this season. 
 
Crain helped set the table for Eastern Illinois offense during the season as she earned second team All-OVC honors.  Crain hit .329 for the year with 55 hits, all singles, from the lead-off spot.  She ranked in the top ten in the OVC in hits for the year while coming around to score 34 runs.  She was 11-of-12 in stolen bases.  In OVC play Crain hit .351 with 11 RBI.  She enters the OVC Tournament with a team-best 13 game hitting streak.  Starting every game in left field, Crain had a .989 field percentage for the season.
 
Hatton earned All-OVC Newcomer team honors after a strong end to the regular season which included winning OVC Player of the Week honors in the final week of the season with 11 runs driven in against Western Illinois.  Hatton ended the season with a .296 average while leading the team with 35 RBI.  She had six doubles and three home runs.  In OVC action Hatton hit .324 with 22 of her 35 RBI coming in conference contests.
 
 
2025 All-Ohio Valley Conference Softball Teams
2025 OVC CO-PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Kendall Grover, Eastern Illinois
2025 OVC CO-PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Payton Brown, Western Illinois
2025 OVC PITCHER OF THE YEAR: McKenzie Oslanzi, Eastern Illinois
2025 OVC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Avery Arwood, SIUE
2025 OVC COACH OF THE YEAR: Ben Sorden, SIUE
 
FIRST TEAM
P - McKenzie Oslanzi, Eastern Illinois
P – Karlie McKenzie, Eastern Illinois
P – Avery Arwood, SIUE
C – Sydney Melton, Southeast Missouri
IF - Kendall Grover, Eastern Illinois
IF – Sydney Dennis, Southeast Missouri
IF – Kaylynn Salyars, SIUE
IF – Payton Brown, Western Illinois
OF – Karson Davey, Eastern Illinois
OF – Maddy Christopher, Morehead State
OF – Madison Winkler, Southeast Missouri
DP – Morgan Hance, Eastern Illinois
UTIL – Piper Montgomery, SIUE
At-Large – Brooklyn Saysoff, Southeast Missouri

SECOND TEAM
P – Avery Wapp, Lindenwood
P – Delaney Kell, Southeast Missouri
C – Tori Hatton, Lindenwood
IF – Kendra Lewis, Morehead State
IF – Sela Pickford, Morehead State
IF – Emma Henderson, SIUE
IF – Sydney Kirby, Tennessee Tech
OF – Abbey Crain, Eastern Illinois
OF – Nicole Henson, Lindenwood
OF – Caroline Stapleton, Southern Indiana
DP – Hailey Hunt, Tennessee State
UTIL – Jordan Mackey, Southern Indiana
At-Large – Kylie Witthaus, Southern Indiana
At-Large – Alli Robinson, UT Martin

ALL-NEWCOMER
Payton Brown, Western Illinois
Avery Arwood, SIUE
Morgan Hance, Eastern Illinois
Madison Winkler, Southeast Missouri
Hailey Hunt, Tennessee State
Kylie Witthaus, Southern Indiana
Ryleigh Owens, Lindenwood
Jordan Mackey, Southern Indiana
Abbi Hatton, Eastern Illinois
Ruby Tarr, Western Illinois
Jace Jackson, Tennessee State
Kaylin Fahy, SIUE