Eastern Illinois University Athletics

2025 - OVC All-Newcomer Team

2025 (FRESHMAN): 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... named to the Ohio Valley Conference All-Newcomer Team... hit .285 with seven doubles and four home runs... led team with 38 RBI which ranked fourth in the OVC during the season... named OVC Player of the Week for final week of regular season... in post-season play hit a two-run home run in the OVC Tournament against SIUE and had an RBI double against Texas in the NCAA Tournament... posted eight multi-hit games with seven two-hit games and one three hit game against Western Illinois... led team with 11 multi-RBI games including a three RBI game at Western Illinois, a four RBI game against Bradley and a six RBI game at Western Illinois... picked up first collegiate hit in opening game of the season (Feb. 7) against Prairie View A&M... had a season long hit streak of five games... had a season long streak of eight games of reaching base in consecutive games... 

HIGH SCHOOL: Multi-sport athlete that played softball for three seasons for coaches Makayla Taylor at St. Anthony High School in Effingham... set school record for career home runs including ten home runs as a senior... hit .449 with a 1.297 OPS and 33 RBI to earn Effingham Daily News Player of the Year honors... was a IHSA Class 2A first team All-State selection... earned first team All-National Trail Conference honors leading team to third straight conference tournament championship... team won three straight regionals and two straight sectionals... led team to IHSA Class 2A third place finish as a junior... also lettered in volleyball and basketball... earned volleyball player of the year honors as a senior... led team to IHSA Class 1A third place finish in volleyball... attended Neoga High School as a freshman... played club for Mattoon Pride, Midland Magic, Illinois Force and Illinois Espirit..

Misc.: Hails from athletic family with mother Amy Walk Hatton playing volleyball at Austin Peay and dad Vern Hatton playing baseball at Southeast Missouri and in the minor leagues with the Los Angeles Dodgers... relatives Emilie Walk Webb (volleyball at Washington University), Kristina Walk Alvarez (volleyball at Southeast Missouri), Eric Walk (baseball at Missouri St. Lous) and Ed Walk (baseball at Eastern Illinois) all played at the collegiate level...