WIU student-athletes rack up academic honors from Ohio Valley Conference

MACOMB, Ill. — Three women’s sports programs at Western Illinois University were recognized by the Ohio Valley Conference with Team Academic Achievement awards. The awards are presented annually in each OVC-sponsored sport to the member institution’s team with the greatest percentage of its eligible student-athletes who achieved a 3.25 grade point average or higher. In…

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Payson’s Loos receives first-team All-Ohio Valley Conference honors for EIU

Eastern Illinois University senior Lucas Loos earned first-team All-Ohio Valley Conference honors as a utility player. | Photo courtesy EIU athletics

CHARLESTON, Ill. — The work isn’t done, but the remarkable season Eastern Illinois University’s Lucas Loos has put together didn’t go unnoticed by the Ohio Valley Conference baseball coaches. Loos, a Payson Seymour graduate and former John Wood Community College third baseman, earned first-team All-OVC honors, the league announced Tuesday. Loos was named as a…

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WIU men’s remarkable season comes to end with semifinal loss to Little Rock in OVC Tournament

The Western Illinois University men's basketball team suffered an 82-57 loss to top-seeded Little Rock in Friday night's semifinals of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament in Evansville, Ind. | Photo courtesy Ohio Valley Conference

EVANSVILLE, Ind. — Through the first 12 minutes Friday night, the fourth-seeded Western Illinois University men’s basketball team went toe-to-toe with top-seeded Little Rock in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament semifinals. The eight minutes that followed is where the Leathernecks lost their edge. Tied at 21 following Drew Cisse’s layin with 8:20 remaining in the…

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To no surprise, WIU’s McCowan is Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Year

Western Illinois University guard Raegan McCowan was named the Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Year. | Photo courtesy WIU athletics

MACOMB, Ill. — Had anyone other than Western Illinois University guard Raegan McCowan been named the Ohio Valley Conference’s women’s basketball Freshman of the Year, it would have been a bigger upset than 16th-seeded Fairleigh Dickinson beating top-seeded Purdue in last year’s NCAA Tournament. McCowan won the OVC Freshman of the Week honor 13 times…

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Defensive presence of WIU’s Cisse leads to Ohio Valley Conference postseason honors

Western Illinois University senior center Drew Cisse, left, was named the Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year. | Photo courtesy WIU Athletics

MACOMB, Ill. — Drew Cisse’s impact on the defensive end of the floor for the Western Illinois University men’s basketball team could not be overstated. He altered shots and cleaned the glass as well as anyone. The 6-foot-11, 230-pound senior center was named the Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team…

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WIU’s McCowan captures OVC Player of the Week, Freshman of the Week honors

Western Illinois University freshman Raegan McCowan leads the Ohio Valley Conference in scoring at 19.3 points per game. | Photo courtesy WIU athletics

MACOMB, Ill. — Not a week goes by without Western Illinois University freshman Raegan McCowan earning an Ohio Valley Conference women’s basketball honor. This week, she earned two. Coming off a scintillating scoring effort in an overtime loss to Southern Indiana last Saturday, McCowan was named both the OVC Player of the Week and the…

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Leathernecks fend off Screaming Eagles to stay in position for top-four finish in OVC

MACOMB, Ill. — Western Hall feels like home once again. Fighting for a top-four seed in the Ohio Valley Conference postseason tournament, the Western Illinois University men’s basketball team ended a four-game home losing streak Saturday by beating Southern Indiana 82-76 at Western Hall. Western Illinois (18-11, 11-5 OVC) remains in fourth place in the…

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Leathernecks miss 25 of 32 shots in first half, lose first meeting with OVC leader Morehead State

Western Illinois' Drew Cisse, left, tries to make a move around Morehead State's Dieonte Miles during Saturday afternoon's men's college basketball game in Morehead, Ky. Cisse finished with 14 rebounds in Saturday's loss. | Photo courtesy of Western Illinois University

MOREHEAD, KY. — A slow start at the offensive end was too much to overcome for the Western Illinois men as they split their road trip this week, falling on Saturday at Morehead State 64-50. The game between the Leathernecks (13-8, 6-2) and Eagles (16-5, 7-1) was a matchup of the top two teams in…

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