Eastern Illinois University Athletics

2009:  For the second straight year, and fourth in her career, Stephanie earned the Outstanding Defensive Player Award alongside teammate Chase Cain... finished a stellar Panther career by setting a new EIU career record for with 348 total solo tackles... tallied a new single-game 33 solo stops in the Panthers’ key come from behind win over Northern Iowa... also set or tied single-game bests in assists, assisted tackles, runs over 20-yards and steals-at-tackle... ended her EIU playing days with five single-season marks in the Top 15, including recording in the Top 10 for solo tackles in each season as a Panther... besides solo stop numbers, career-wise, she’s listed in the all-time Top 15 for total points, trys, assists, assisted tackles, runs over 20-yards, and steals-at-tackle.

2008: Stephanie was tabbed the Outstanding Defensive Player Award along with teammate Chase Cain, despite being sidelined for three games due to an injury... recorded 21 solo tackles in EIU’s revenge win over West Chester, which tied the EIU single game record... in the seven games she played in as a junior she recorded double-digit solo tackles numbers in all but one... also ran in four total trys, including two versus UW-Stevens Point... her three-year total 275 solo tackles is already a new school record for career stops... she is also fifth for assisted tackles in a career, with 70... plus listed in career runs-over-20-yards (20) and steals-at-tackle (14)... her name is currently listed 17 times in the Panther record books ... 

2007: Stephanie earned her second Outstanding Defensive Player Award after leading all players with 99 solo tackles, which is a new school-record for tackles in a game... tied her personal best assisted tackle and steals at tackle numbers in game in the first meeting with Illinois... had a season-high 17 solo tackles in the historic West Chester contest, while notching six double-digit tackles over the course of the season... 

2006: Stephanie made an impressive freshman debut season as she earned the Outstanding Freshman and Outstanding Defensive Player Awards for her numerous accomplishments last fall... she made an appearance in seven top five statistical categories, including setting a school-record solo tackle total of 87, earning her a second place finish for the season... playing in all ten games, Stephanie had 110 total tackles, including 23 assists... notched five steals at tackle... offensively she had nine tries to score 45 points and ran over 20 yards ten times... her best game output came in the 77-0 victory over Indiana, as she recorded 19 solo tackles and four tackle assists... had 15 solo tackles versus Texas A&M in the season finale and also stopped Purdue 13 times all by herself... also a member of the EIU Panther softball squad.... 

HS: Attended Flora HS where she earned varsity letters in softball, basketball, volleyball and even football... first team all-conference in softball as well as team captain... earned all-tournament team and all-conference honors in basketball... vice president of Flora’s student council and a member of the National Honor Society.... 

PERSONAL: Is an exercise science major with a minor in criminology... earned the EIU Scholar-Athlete Award... her sister, Jennifer Klein, is her guardian... in her spare time she enjoys playing basketball, watching women’s college basketball and softball, as well as lifting weights.... 

FUN FACTS: ‘Mili’ is the owner of several pets, including a pug named ‘Holly’ and a German shepherd named ‘Rex’... pasta and peanut butter and jelly are her favorite food dishes... currently driving a 2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited... dislikes eating fish and liver... enjoyed taking Kathryn Hussey’s kinesiology and sports studies class... chose to attend EIU, “because EIU is not too small or too big, plus coach Graziano had great things to say and was very welcoming”... she enjoys watching EIU basketball player Ellen Canale compete on the hardwood... her favorite building on campus is Lantz... if she could bring anything from her hometown to EIU it would be Potbelly’s... her advice to a younger athlete is “always give rugby a try first to determine if you’re going to play... it becomes the most fun sport”... choreography is one of her hidden talents... her favorite quote is “hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard”.... 

CAREER HIGHS: TRYS: 3 at Loyola (11/4/06) ... ASSISTS: 2 (2x), last at Ball State (9/5/09) ... SOLO TACKLES: 33 (EIU record) vs. Northern Iowa (10/10/09) ... ASSISTed TACKLES: 5 (3x), last vs. Grand Valley State (9/12/09) ... POINTS: 15 at Loyola (11/4/06) ... RUNS OVER 20-YARDS: 2 (6x), last vs. Midwest College All-Stars (11/14/09) ... STEALS AT TACKLE: 3 (2x), last vs. Missouri (10/17/09)