Eastern Illinois is the recipient of the 2025-2026 Team Sportsmanship Award for Beach Volleyball, the OVC announced on Monday.  

Voted on by the student-athletes and coaches of the respective sports, the team awards are bestowed upon the Conference squads deemed to have best exhibited the standards of sportsmanship and ethical behavior as outlined by the OVC and NCAA. Included in the areas for evaluation are the conduct of student-athletes, coaches, staff, administrators and fans. 
 
The 2025-26 school year marks the 21st year the team sportsmanship honors have been awarded, and the sixth year of the beach volleyball awards. 

Eastern Illinois has now won their second-straight and third overall Team Sportsmanship award.  

The Panthers won the award in 2022, 2025, and now 2026.  

To read more about the OVC Team Sportsmanship award, Click Here