Eastern Illinois softball won both the Ohio Valley Conference regular season and tournament championship last season advancing to the program's second NCAA Tournament in the last three years.
 
On Thursday (Jan. 29), the Panthers were picked to finish third in this year's OVC preseason poll released by the conference office.   EIU collected three first place votes and was behind Southeast Missouri (8 first place votes) and SIUE (8 first place votes) in the preseason poll.  Lindenwood was fourth followed by Southern Indiana in fifth with the final first place vote.
 
EIU returns a pair of OVC first team All-OVC selections from last year in pitcher Karlie McKenzie and utility player Mo Hance.     Returning players Abbi Hatton (1B) and Bryanna French (P) were named players to watch this season for the Panthers.
 
EIU opens the season on Friday, February 6 at the Battle in the Boro Tournament hosted by Georgia Southern.   EIU's OVC opener is on the road on March 7 at Morehead State with the home opener and first home OVC game set for March 14 against Lindenwood at Williams Field.
 
McKenzie made 38 appearances with 17 starts in the circle during the 2025 season. She earned first team All-Ohio Valley Conference honors as a pitcher and was named OVC Tournament MVP after a complete game eight-inning shutout in OVC Tournament game while posting a 2-0 record with one save during tournament.  For the season she was 11-3 with a 2.79 ERA and an OVC leading six saves, a total that tied the EIU single season record and ranked seventh in the NCAA.  Those numbers were even more stellar in OVC action with a 6-0 record with four saves and a 1.87 ERA.
 
Hance played in 43 games making 33 starts becoming the starter at designated player during the Ohio Valley Conference season. She was named first team All-OVC at designated player and to the OVC All-Newcomer Team hitting .360 for the season with three doubles, 16 RBI and 25 runs scored. Hance drew 11 walks to post an on-base percentage of .398.
 
Hatton started 55 games during the 2025 season with most of time spent as a starter at first base with some games played as the designated player.  She was named to the Ohio Valley Conference All-Newcomer Team after hitting .285 with seven doubles and four home runs.  Hatton led team with 38 RBI which ranked fourth in the OVC during the season.
 
French appeared in 19 games making two starts in the circle during the 2025 season posting a 3-4 record with one save and a 3.95 ERA.  She made first appearance of the season in relief in season opener against Prairie View A&M in season opening win... French picked up wins against Morehead State and Tennessee Tech in Ohio Valley Conference play.  Her save came against Southeast Missouri.
 
2026 OVC Softball Predicted Order of Finish
1. Southeast Missouri (8) - 148
2. SIUE (8) – 139
3. Eastern Illinois (3) – 138
4. Lindenwood – 108
5. Southern Indiana (1) – 107
6. Tennessee Tech – 75
7. Tennessee State – 68
8. UT Martin – 55
9. Western Illinois – 41
10. Morehead State - 21
 
Returning All-OVC
Mo Hance, OF, Eastern Illinois
Karlie McKenzie, P, Eastern Illinois
Tori Hatton, IF, Lindenwood
Nicole Henson, OF, Lindenwood
Avery Wapp, P, Lindenwood
Maddy Christopher, OF, Morehead State
Sela Pickford, IF, Morehead State
Brooklyn Saysoff, IF, Southeast Missouri
Madison Winkler, OF, Southeast Missouri
Avery Arwood, P, SIUE
Jordan Mackey, C/IF, Southern Indiana
Caroline Stapleton, OF, Southern Indiana
Kylie Witthaus, P, Southern Indiana
Hailey Hunt, OF, Tennessee State
Payton Brown, IF/UT, Western Illinois
 
Watch List
Abbi Hatton, UT, Eastern Illinois
Bryana French, P, Eastern Illinois
Ryleigh Owens, P, Lindenwood
Sydney Farmer, C/3B, Morehead State
Rylie Burney, P, Morehead State
Maddie Carney, P, Southeast Missouri
Aubrie Shore, IF, Southeast Missouri
Kaylin Fahy, OF, SIUE
Raegan Duncan, IF, SIUE
Sydney Long, 2B, Southern Indiana
Kate Satkoski, OF, Southern Indiana
Jace Jackson, MI, Tennessee State
Kailyn Jean-Baptiste, IF, Tennessee State
Emily York, P, Tennessee Tech
Olivia Evans, OF, Tennessee Tech
Avary Makarewicz, C, UT Martin
Dylan Scott, UT, UT Martin
Lillie Wools, P/UT, Western Illinois
Sophia Sanchez, 2B, Western Illinois