The OVC announced their track & field preseason athletes to watch for the 2025-26 indoor season. Five EIU Panthers were named to the preseason watch list. Daniel Lacy, Shawn Lacy, Sam Bradbury, Brenda Torres, and Abby Venhaus. 

Daniel Lacy: 

Daniel earned a top spot as a returning OVC indoor champion in the Men's 400M. Last year, Daniel competed in four meets and won the 400-meter event at the OVC Indoor Championships with a gold medal time of 48.17, which was the season's best time for that event. Lacy earned second team All-OVC honors in the 4x400 relay at the OVC championship, running the third leg on the relay as the team posted a time of 3:14.69, which ranked tenth on the EIU career top ten list. 

Shawn Lacy:  

Shawn Lacy has been named one of the men's track & field athletes to watch for the upcoming season. In 2025, Lacy earned Second Team All-OVC for the 4x100 relay (outdoor). Last indoor season, he ran the 60-meter dash and competed in the long jump during the indoor season. He posted a season-best 60-meter time of 7.04 at the Grand Valley Big Meet. So far this year, Shawn has set a personal record in the men's 60m finals at the ISU John Gartland Invitational.  

Sam Bradbury:  

Sam Bradbury was named to the men's indoor field watch list. During his junior year indoor season, he scored points in the shot put at the Ohio Valley Conference Indoor Championships with a fifth-place finish. He also posted a first-place finish in the weight throw at the Grand Valley Big Meet with a season-best throw of 60'3.75", which ranked seventh on the EIU career top ten.  

Brenda Torres: 

Brenda Torres was named to the women's indoor track watch list. Her junior campaign was filled with highlights, including a Second Team All-OVC selection (DMR – 3rd leg). In addition, she posted a season-best indoor mile time of 5:07.01 at the EIU John Craft Invite. Torres also ran the 800-meter indoor with a season-best time of 2:18.79 at the Missouri Bob Teel.  

Abby Venhaus:  

Abby Venhaus rounds out the EIU honors with being named to the women's indoor field watch list. Venhaus earned Second Team All-OVC (long jump) during both indoor and outdoor seasons last year. Her silver medal jump landed at 19'0.75", which ranks seventh in the EIU career top ten. She added points in the OVC championship in the 60-meter dash and 4x400 relay. Lastly, she posted a season-best 200-meter time of 24.99 at the OVC championship, with a time ranked ninth on the EIU career top ten list. So far this year, Venhaus placed third in the ISU John Gartland Invitational 60m finals and set a new personal record with a time of 7.67, ranking 8th in EIU history. 

Returning Indoor Champions
Women
Chanel Honeywell, Lindenwood
60M
Erika Mellor, Southeast Missouri
800M
Hadessa Austin, Southern Indiana
3000M, 5000M
Anna Thomason, Southeast Missouri
60M Hurdles, Pentathlon
Southeast Missouri – Sydney Burdine, Alaina Lester
4x400M Relay
Southern Indiana – Addison Applegate, Abrielle Richard, Emily Rempe
Distance Medley
Brianna Dixon, Southeast Missouri
High Jump
Clara Billing, Southeast Missouri
Pole Vault
Bailie Hux, Southeast Missouri
Weight Throw

Men
Daniel Lacy, Eastern Illinois
400M
Devin Stevens, Little Rock
800M
Tanner Emerson, SIUE
3000M
Alex Nolan, Southern Indiana
5000M
Tennessee State – Quest Agee, Oladipo Akomolafe, Joshua McClendon
4x400 Relay
Little Rock – Shane Fisher, Devin Stevens
Distance Medley 
Sullivan Gleason, Southeast Missouri
Pole Vault

Men's Indoor Track Watch List
Shawn Lacy, Eastern Illinois
Colter Maya, Little Rock
Sam Afari, Morehead State
Marcus Gordon, Southeast Missouri
Konrad Sacha, SIUE
Dominick Beine, Southern Indiana
Caleb Joshway, Tennessee State
David Stukey, UT Martin
Logan Beckmier, Western Illinois
 
Men's Indoor Field Watch List
Sam Bradbury, Eastern Illinois
Morcellous Harris, Little Rock
Marshall Swadley, Southeast Missouri
Grant Milbrath, SIUE
Korbin Brown, Tennessee State
Hank Fisher, UT Martin
Cage Davison, Western Illinois
 
Women's Indoor Track Watch List
Brenda Torres, Eastern Illinois
Chanel Honeywell, Lindenwood
Takia Palmer, Little Rock
Kaylyn Holman, Morehead State
Nova Ojutkangas, Southeast Missouri
Christy Muldrew, SIUE
Ellie Hall, Southern Indiana
Serenity Harry, Tennessee State
Hannah Little, Tennessee Tech
Eliana Oquendo, UT Martin
Maleigha Huston, Western Illinois
 
Women's Indoor Field Watch List
Abby Venhaus, Eastern Illinois
Christelle Barafundi, Lindenwood
Brooklyn Marcee, Little Rock
Kalynn Pease, Morehead State
Molly Grohmann, Southeast Missouri
Zaria Searcy, SIUE
Olivia Allison, Tennessee State
Ally Beneke, Tennessee Tech
Meg Wiginton, UT Martin
Nakieta Kessling, Western Illinois

These five athletes will be in action tomorrow, January 17th, for the John Craft Invite, starting at 10:00 AM.