Eastern Illinois senior pitcher Karlie McKenzie has been named to the D1.Softball Mid-Major Top 100 Players Preseason Rankings released today (Jan. 19) by the organization.
 
McKenzie was listed at No. 79 on the preseason list as she returns after having earned first team All-Ohio Valley Conference honors last season as well as being named the OVC Tournament MVP helping pitch EIU to its second NCAA Tournament appearance.
 
For the year McKenzie made 38 appearances with 17 starts in the circle going 11-3 with a 2.79 ERA and an OVC leading six saves.  The six saves tied the EIU single season record and ranked seventh in the NCAA for the year.  In OVC action she was 6-0 with four saves and a 1.87 ERA.   In the OVC Tournament McKenzie was 2-0 with one save and tossed a complete game eight-inning shutout in the OVC Tournament championship game. 
 
In addition to her work in the circle, McKenzie was also a standout student earning Academic All-District honors by College Sports Communicators and OVC Academic Medal of Honor accolades.
 
She was one of three OVC players to make the preseason list joined by Payton Brown (Western Illinois) and Avery Arwood (SIUE).
 
EIU opens the 2026 softball season on February 6 at the Georgia Southern Bash In the Boro Tournament facing Western Kentucky.  Over the past three years EIU has won two OVC regular season championships and two OVC Tournament titles making a pair of NCAA Tournaments.