** During the month of July, EIUPanthers.com looks back at 14 events, moments and players that helped shape the 2025-26 academic year. **

Several Eastern Illinois athletes had exceptional years in their respective sports collecting Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year Awards during the 2025-26 academic year.
 
Ella Kratochvil, Catalina Rochaix, Mason Miller, Daniel Lacy, Lizzie Stiverson and Bryce Riggs all picked up OVC Player of the Year awards during the season.
 
Kratochvil was named the OVC Goalkeeper of the Year and a first team All-OVC selection.  During the year Kratochvil led the OVC in goals against average at 0.556 while ranking second in saves with 36.  Her five shutouts in nine OVC contests ranked tied for first in the league.  On the season Kratochvil posted eight total shutouts moving her career total to 14 which ranks tied for fourth on the EIU career list.   She is the second EIU goalkeeper to earn this award.
 
Rochaix earned her second Ohio Valley Conference Setter of the Year and All-OVC First-Team selection, collecting her first awards in 2023. She is the only player to win the OVC Setter of the Year award in EIU history. Rochaix has been a staple in the Panthers program, surpassing 3,000 assists on October 14th against Western Illinois this season. Also, Catalina has produced over 1,000 assists during her senior year. On top of her assist numbers, Rochaix has totaled 104 sets, 267 digs, 43 blocks, 48 kills, and 13 service aces. Rochaix ranked 8th in the nation and 1st in the OVC for assists per set with 10.77. During the season, she won four OVC Setter of the Week awards. 
 
Miller was a huge special teams weapon for the Panthers football team during the 2025 season.  Miller earned third team All-America honors by FCS STATS Perform and honorable mention All-America honors by the Associated Press after being named the OVC-Big South Special Teams Player of the Year.  Miller set the EIU single season record for punting average at 47.4 yards per punt and ranked fourth in the FCS in punting average.  He had a season long punt of 65 yards with 19 of 53 punts over 50 yards and another 19 of those punts inside the opponents 20-yard line.  On the season he had just one of his 53 punts go for a touchback. 
 
Lacy was named the OVC Male Indoor Track Athlete of the Year following a successful 2025-26 indoor season.  At the OVC Championships Lacy won silver in the 200 meter finals with a championship time of 21.20.  He added a second silver medal running the anchor leg on the 4x400 relay team while scoring points in the 60 meter run.   During the regular season Lacy posted the 200 meter and 400 meter times in the OVC while owning the second fastest regular season 60 meter mark.  
 
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. 
 
Riggs was a huge factor on the mound for the Panthers baseball team that reached the OVC Tournament championship game for the second consecutive year.  The junior was named the OVC Pitcher of the Year this season posting an 8-2 record with a 3.18 ERA for the season.  Riggs was named a semifinalist for National Pitcher of the Year, second team All-Region by the ABCA and twice earned OVC Pitcher of the Week honors.  He tied for the OVC lead with 76 strikeouts in 93.1 innings of work with opponents' batting just .189 against him for the season.  He did not allow a run through his first two starts of the season with a save the second weekend of the year against Arkansas State.  Riggs picked up an OVC Tournament win over Southeast Missouri with 6.0 innings of work.  He posted a season high 11 strikeouts in a win over Lindenwood (7.1) and tossed a 9.0 inning complete game win over Southern Indiana allowing just one run on one hit with six strikeouts. 
 
In addition, EIU had a couple of additional Tournament MVP award winners during the year with Lilli Amettis winning the OVC Tournament MVP Award for volleyball.  Abby Venhaus was named the Women's OVC Championship MVP for the Indoor Championship.  Karlie McKenzie was named the OVC Tournament MVP for softball.


Year In Review
No. 14 - EIU Gives Back In The Community
No. 13 - Will Klein Pitches In World Series
No. 12 - EIU Spring Fling Event Returns To Campus
No. 11 - EIU Plays Memorable Opponents 
No. 10 - EIU's OVC Coaches of the Year