Eastern Illinois University (EIU) is a public university in Charleston, Illinois. Established in 1895 as the Eastern Illinois State Normal School, a teacher's college offering a two-year degree, Eastern Illinois University gradually expanded into a comprehensive university with a broad curriculum, including bachelor's and master's degrees in education, business, arts, sciences, and humanities.
The Eastern Illinois Panthers are the intercollegiate athletic programs of Eastern Illinois University (EIU) located in Charleston, Illinois, United States. The Panthers athletic program is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) and competes at the NCAA Division I level in the Football Championship Subdivision. EIU's colors are blue and gray. Selected as the team mascot in 1930, EIU's panther was informally known as "Billy" for many years and was officially named "Billy the Panther" in 2008. Panther teams have won five NCAA national championships in three sports. The Panthers also won the 1969 NAIA men's soccer title.
Charles Phillip Lantz was an American football, basketball, baseball coach and college athletics administrator. He was the sixth head football coach at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois, serving 24 seasons, from 1911 to 1935 and again in 1944, compiling a record of 95–66–13. In 1967, the Lantz Arena complex was opened and named in his honor.
The Eastern Illinois Panthers men's basketball team is the basketball team that represents Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois, United States. The first basketball team started in 1908–09 season. The school's team currently competes in the Ohio Valley Conference. The Panthers competed in the NCAA Division I tournament in 1992 and 2001.
The 2012–13 Eastern Illinois Panthers men's basketball team represented Eastern Illinois University during the 2012–13 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Panthers, led by first year head coach Jay Spoonhour, played their home games at Lantz Arena and were members of the West Division of the Ohio Valley Conference. They finished the season 11–21, 6–10 in OVC play to finish in third place in the West Division. They lost in the first round of the Ohio Valley Conference tournament to Southeast Missouri State.
The Eastern Illinois Panthers men's soccer team represents Eastern Illinois University (EIU) as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference in NCAA Division I soccer. The Panthers play their home matches at Lakeside Soccer Field located directly south of the Lantz Arena complex on the EIU campus in Charleston, Illinois.
The 2013–14 Eastern Illinois Panthers men's basketball team represented Eastern Illinois University during the 2013–14 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Panthers, led by second year head coach Jay Spoonhour, played their home games at Lantz Arena and were members of the West Division of the Ohio Valley Conference. They finished the season 11–19, 7–9 in OVC play to finish in a tie for third place in the West Division. They lost in the first round of the Ohio Valley tournament to Southeast Missouri State.
The 2014–15 Eastern Illinois Panthers men's basketball team represented Eastern Illinois University during the 2014–15 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Panthers, led by third year head coach Jay Spoonhour, played their home games at Lantz Arena and were members of the West Division of the Ohio Valley Conference. They finished the season 18–15, 9–7 in OVC play to finish in third place in the West Division. They advanced to the quarterfinals of the OVC tournament where they lost to Belmont. They were invited to the CollegeInsider.com Tournament where they defeated Oakland in the first round before losing in the second round to Evansville.
The 2015–16 Eastern Illinois Panthers men's basketball team represented Eastern Illinois University during the 2015–16 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Panthers, led by fourth-year head coach Jay Spoonhour, played their home games at Lantz Arena and were members of the West division of the Ohio Valley Conference. They finished the season 13–17, 9–7 in OVC play, to finish in third place in the West division. They lost in the first round of the OVC tournament to Murray State.
The Eastern Illinois Panthers track and field program represents Eastern Illinois University in the sport of track and field. The program includes separate men's and women's teams, both of which compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC). The Panthers host their home indoor meets in the Lantz Field House and their home outdoor meets at O'Brien Field, both located on the university's campus. The Panthers track teams are currently led by head coach Keith Roberts.
The Eastern Illinois Panthers women's basketball team is the basketball team that represents Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois, United States. The school's team currently competes in the Ohio Valley Conference.
The 2016–17 Eastern Illinois Panthers men's basketball team represented Eastern Illinois University during the 2016–17 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Panthers, led by fifth-year head coach Jay Spoonhour, played their home games at Lantz Arena and were members of the West Division of the Ohio Valley Conference. They finished the season 14–15, 6–10 in OVC play to finish in fifth place in the West Division. They failed to qualify for the Ohio Valley Conference tournament.
The 2017–18 Eastern Illinois Panthers men's basketball team represented Eastern Illinois University during the 2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Panthers, led by sixth-year head coach Jay Spoonhour, played their home games at Lantz Arena as members of the Ohio Valley Conference. They finished the season 12–19, 7–11 in OVC play to finish in eighth place. They defeated Tennessee State in the first round of the OVC tournament before losing in the quarterfinals to Austin Peay.
The 2018–19 Eastern Illinois Panthers men's basketball team represented Eastern Illinois University during the 2018–19 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Panthers, led by seventh-year head coach Jay Spoonhour, played their home games at Lantz Arena as members of the Ohio Valley Conference. They finished the season 14–18, 7–11 in OVC play to finish in sixth place. They lost to UT Martin in the first round of the OVC tournament.
The 2019–20 Eastern Illinois Panthers men's basketball team represented Eastern Illinois University during the 2019–20 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Panthers, led by eighth-year head coach Jay Spoonhour, played their home games at Lantz Arena as members of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC). They finished the season 17–15, 9–9 in OVC play, to finish in a tie for fifth place. They defeated Jacksonville State in the first round of the OVC tournament before losing in the quarterfinals to Austin Peay.
The 2020–21 Eastern Illinois Panthers men's basketball team represented Eastern Illinois University in the 2020–21 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Panthers, led by ninth-year head coach Jay Spoonhour, played their home games at Lantz Arena in Charleston, Illinois as members of the Ohio Valley Conference. They finished the season 9–18, 6–14 in OVC play to finish in a tie for ninth place. They failed to qualify for the OVC Tournament.
The 2021–22 Eastern Illinois Panthers men's basketball team represented Eastern Illinois University in the 2021–22 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Panthers, led by first-year head coach Marty Simmons, played their home games at Lantz Arena in Charleston, Illinois as members of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC). They finished the season 5–26, 3–15 in OVC play, to finish in last place. They failed to qualify for the OVC tournament.
The 2022–23 Eastern Illinois Panthers men's basketball team represented Eastern Illinois University in the 2022–23 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Panthers, led by second-year head coach Marty Simmons, played their home games at Lantz Arena in Charleston, Illinois, as members of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC). They finished the season 9–22, 5–13 in OVC play, to finish in last place. They failed to qualify for the OVC tournament.
The 2023–24 Eastern Illinois Panthers men's basketball team represented Eastern Illinois University during the 2023–24 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Panthers, led by third-year head coach Marty Simmons, played their home games at the newly renamed Groniger Arena located in Charleston, Illinois, as members of the Ohio Valley Conference.
The 2023–24 Eastern Illinois Panthers women's basketball team represent Eastern Illinois University during the 2023–24 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Panthers, led by seventh-year head coach Matt Bollant, played their home games at the newly renamed Groniger Arena located in Charleston, Illinois, as members of the Ohio Valley Conference.
