EIUPanthers Podcast

Episode 23 of EIUPanthers Podcast visits with Eastern Illinois Director of Football Performance Derek Stein.  Stein was hired in December and will take over the position in January.  A former graduate assistant strength and conditioning coach at Eastern Illinois, Stein was able to work the spring and summer of 2019 with EIU head football coach Adam Cushing and his staff helping to create the opportunity for this position.   Stein talks about that relationship and how he became interested in the field in this week's episode.

Episode 22 of EIUPanthers Podcast as we talk with former Eastern Illinois baseball pitcher Matt Wivinis.  Wivinis was recently selected with the second pick of the Major League Baseball Tiriple-A Rule 5 Draft.  Wivinis talks about his unique journey into professional baseball, his time in the New York Yankess farm system and what his recent draft selection by the Texas Rangers might mean for his baseball career.

Episode 21 of EIUPanthers Podcast talks with Eastern Illinois senior guard Mack Smith.  Smith moved into a tie in the NCAA Division I record books last Saturday (Dec. 12) against Western Illinois when he knocked down a 3-pointer for the 88th consecutive game.  Smith is now tied with former Illinois standout guard Cory Bradford.  Smith will attempt to break the record on Monday, Dec. 21 when the Panthers open Ohio Valley Conference play at SIUE.  Smith joins us today to talk about the streak, his approach to basketball and his inspiration behind the drive to complete the streak and own the record.

Episode 20 of EIUPanthers Podcast visits with former Eastern Illinois women's golfer Amanda Minchin.   Minchin was a three-time All-Ohio Valley Conference performer for the Panthers in the early days of the program in the early 2000's.   Minchin won two individual tournament titles and turned that success into a professional opportunity on the Canadian Tour.  She is now a PGA of Canada professional and general manager on her home course.

Throwing things has always come naturally for former Eastern Illinois track & field standout Braidy Miller.  On episode 19 of EIUPanthers Podcast we talk to the former three-time All-American about his unusual path to the Panthers program along with records he still owns at EIU.  In addition we talk to him about one his new passions, the Scottish Highland Games where is a world record holder in several events.

Episode 18 of EIUPanthers Podcast takes a trip down memory lane as we bring you this Thanksgiving Day episode covering the 1948 Corn Bowl.  The Corn Bowl was played on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 25, 1948 in Bloomington, Illinois.  On today's episode we talk with Ed Buchanan, a freshman on that year's EIU football team and one of the few surviving members of that team.

One week away from the start of the 2020-21 college basketball season and this week on episode 17 of EIUPanthers Podcast we preview the Eastern Illinois men’s basketball season.   The Panthers were picked fifth in the OVC preseason poll and feature returning preseason All-Conference players Mack Smith and Josiah Wallace.  Today we speak with head coach Jay Spoonhour and seniors George Dixon and Marvin Johnson about the upcoming season.

Episode 16 of EIUPanthers Podcast brings a season preview of the 2020-21 Eastern Illinois women's basketball season.  With season just around the corner, head coach Matt Bollant previews the season along with quick interviews with seniors Taylor Steele and Grace McRae.  The 2020-21 season opens on Nov. 25 with the Panthers hosting UIC.  Due to State of Illinois COVID regulations, no spectators will be allowed to attend games this season at First Mid Court at Lantz Arena.

Episode 15 of EIUPanthers Podcast wraps up the EIU Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2020 series with former Panthers wide receiver Adam Drake.  Drake talks about growing up in Charleston and then playing for his hometown school, a youthful encounter with EIU legend Tony Romo and life after football.

Episode 14 of EIUPanthers Podcast continues our 2020 Eastern Illinois Athletic Hall of Fame series as we talk with Olivia Klaus.  Klaus was a standout cross country runner for the Panthers becoming the first runner in women's program history to earn All-Ohio Valley Conference honors all four seasons.   Klaus helped the Panthers win the 2011 OVC Cross Country Championship and was a member of several OVC Indoor and Outdoor Track Championship squads.  Our conversation covers her running career at EIU, how she got started in the sport and her current career as a successful coach.