EIU Athletic Awards

Lizzie Stiverson from Eastern Illinois softball has been named the Panthers 2026-27 Female Athlete of the Year as the athletic department begins announcing its end of year awards for this past academic year.
 
Stiverson made an immediate impact for the Panthers softball team in her first season with the program.  Stiverson was the OVC Player of the Year helping lead the Panthers to their third straight Ohio Valley Conference regular season title and second straight NCAA Tournament appearance.  The senior hit .373 with 11 doubles, one triple, four home runs and 29 RBI over the course of the season.  She increased that production in OVC play to hit .470 adding both first team and All-OVC Newcomer team honors.  She was selected a third team NFCA All-Region performer and picked up third team Academic All-America honors.  She led the team with 22 multi-hit games and ended the season with hits in both of EIU's NCAA Tournament games against Oklahoma State and Princeton.  Her season totals for runs scored (42), hits (66) and walks drawn (28) all ranked ninth on the Panthers single season all-time lists. 

A total of six EIU student-athletes were named candidates for the award with Stiverson joined by Ella Kratochvil (soccer), Catalina Rochaix (volleyball), Alex Tetteh (soccer), Brenda Torres (cross country / track & field) and Abby Venhaus (track & field).
 
EIU will name winners for Male Athlete of the Year on Friday with the winners for the EIU AD Award, Male & Female, named next Monday and Tuesday to wrap up the month of June.  Rylan Gick from softball was named this year's EIU Female Newcomer of the Year on Tuesday with Mason Miller from football named the EIU Male Newcomer of the Year on Wednesday.