NASHVILLE - On Friday Eastern Illinois collected its Ohio Valley Conference hardware as the 2013 Commissioner's Cup and Male Athlete of the Year Awards are headed back to Charleston.  The awards were officially presented at the OVC Honors Luncheon held in downtown Nashville.

EIU won its third OVC Commissioner's Cup in the last four years as the Panthers edged Eastern Kentucky for the title.  In the revised format of the OVC Commissioner's Cup, EIU has won the award in three of the five years while placing second the other two years.  University President Dr. William Perry and Director of Athletics Barbara Burke accepted the award for EIU.

Erik Lora was named the OVC Male Athlete of the Year after a record setting season on the gridiron.  Lora becomes the third EIU Male Athlete of the Year joining Kyle O'Brien and Henry Domercant. 

Official Story on OVC Commissioner's Cup (released May 28)

Official Story on Erik Lora, Male Athlete of the Year (released May 29)