| Eastern Illinois Panthers | |
|---|---|
 | |
| University | Eastern Illinois University |
| Conference | Ohio Valley Conference (primary) OVC–Big South Football Association (football) Summit League (swimming & diving) Horizon League (men's tennis) |
| NCAA | Division I (FCS) |
| Athletic director | Tom Michael |
| Location | Charleston, Illinois |
| Varsity teams | 21 (10 men's and 11 women's) |
| Football stadium | O’Brien Field |
| Basketball arena | Lantz Arena |
| Baseball stadium | Coaches Stadium at Monier Field |
| Softball stadium | Williams Field |
| Soccer stadium | Lakeside Soccer Field |
| Mascot | Billy the Panther |
| Nickname | Panthers |
| Fight song | Eastern State March |
| Colors | Blue and gray[1] |
| Website | eiupanthers |
 | |
The Eastern Illinois Panthers are the intercollegiate athletic programs of Eastern Illinois University (EIU) located in Charleston, Illinois, United States. The Panthers athletic program competes at the NCAA Division I level[2] and is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC).[3] The football team is a member of the Division I FCS (formerly known as Division I-AA) OVC–Big South Football Association. 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.[4] Panther teams have won five NCAA national championships in three sports.[5] The Panthers also won the 1969 NAIA men's soccer title.[6]
- ^ "EIU BRANDING, MARKETING & LOGOS". Retrieved January 1, 2024.
- ^ "Eastern Illinois University". NCAA. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
- ^ "OVC Member Institutions". Ohio Valley Conference. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
- ^ "EIU Panther Mascot". Eastern Illinois University Athletics. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
- ^ "EIU National Championships". Eastern Illinois University Athletics. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
- ^ "Men's Soccer Championship Records" (PDF). National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Retrieved September 3, 2015.