** During the month of July, EIUPanthers.com looks back at 14 events, moments and players that helped shape the 2025-26 academic year. **
 
Eastern Illinois student-athletes continued to excel in the classroom as well as in their sports of competition.
 
During the 2025-26 academic year EIU posted a Fall department GPA of 3.35 while the Panthers finished the Spring semester with a 3.35 department GPA.  A total of 197 student-athletes posted a perfect 4.0 GPA during the two semesters combined. 
 
The Panthers had seven teams with a perfect 1,000 score in the NCAA's Academic Progress Rate report. 
 
Heading into the academic year EIU once again led the OVC with the highest number of OVC Academic Medal of Honor Award winners with 48.  It marked the seventh time in the last ten years that EIU has fielded the most academic medal of honor winners, finishing second in the conference the other three years.
 
190 total student-athletes earned OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll with 13 picking up the equivalent honor for The Summit League covering the sports of men's and women's swimming.
 
Women's swimming and men's cross country teams won the Academic Team Award for the season which is presented to the team with the highest team GPA in that sport for the year.

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
No. 9 - EIU's OVC Players of the Year
No. 8 - EIU Dedicates Gardella Family Court at McAfee Gym
No. 7 - EIU Dedicates Frost Field For Baseball
No. 6 - EIU Individuals and Teams Set Records
No. 5 - EIU men's track & field wins OVC Outdoor Championship
No. 4 - EIU Volleyball Wins OVC Title, Makes NCAA Tournament
No. 3 - EIU Softball Wins Third Straight OVC Title