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.
History
The Eastern Illinois men's track and field team was organized in 1912 and got its first official coach in 1933 in Winfield Angus. Before 1933, coaching duties were assumed by a male faculty member; the Panthers women's team was formed in 1974–75. Eastern Illinois joined the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) in 1996, and the Panthers track team began to compete in the OVC in the winter of 1996.
Historically, the Panthers have been a force in the OVC, and have won a total of 51 conference team championships since 1996-97. The Panthers men have won seventeen OVC outdoor championships (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2019, 2021), and nineteen indoor championships (1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2023). The Panthers women have won eight OVC outdoor championships (2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017), and seven indoor championships (2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017).
