Eastern Illinois opens its 2026-27 season Tuesday at Drake, beginning a three-game road swing through Iowa. The Panthers return seven players from a 4-27 team, including leading scorer Ava Stoller, and hope to build on two exhibition wins.

By the Numbers
  • EIU went 4-27 last season, including 3-17 in the Ohio Valley Conference.
  • Drake leads the series 13-6 and won the teams’ last meeting, 83-65, on Nov. 3, 2025.
  • Stoller averaged 11.9 points per game last season and made 90% of her free throws.
  • EIU won both exhibitions: 66-57 over Quincy and 76-69 over Illinois Wesleyan.
Yes, But

EIU has returning experience and two exhibition wins to build on, but last season’s 4-27 record and Drake’s series advantage underscore the challenge of opening on the road.

State of Play
  • Tuesday’s game is at 6 p.m. at Drake’s Knapp Center in Des Moines.
  • The Panthers continue the Iowa road trip Thursday against Iowa, then face Iowa State on Sunday.
  • Senior Ava Stoller and transfer Janyah Bohanon were named to the OVC preseason players to watch list.
What's Next

EIU opens at Drake on Tuesday, Nov. 3, then travels to Iowa on Thursday, Nov. 5, before closing the trip at Iowa State on Sunday.

Bottom Line

The road trip is an early test of whether EIU’s returning core and exhibition momentum can translate into progress against challenging competition.