Senior team captain Narissa Ramirez played a crucial part in the road win against UW-Milwaukee.

Ramirez has been a major contributor to the Panthers for the past four years, but her impact this season has been felt on another level.

Ramirez is the unquestioned leader of the team and is the lone captain for Head Coach Frank Graziano’s squad.

Ramirez has been the glue for the Panthers this season, and she has found ways to get her teammates involved in the action on a weekly basis.

Ramirez is eyeing the all time assist record and if she continues at this rate she will be remembered as the greatest playmaker in program history.

“After my first year, I realized it was attainable and it’s really something I’ve been striving to do,” she said. “I’d rather get an assist than score, and that’s something I’m looking forward to doing.”

Ramirez is also on pace to become one of the most successful Panthers in program history, as she will rank near the top in career wins when her career comes to an end.

Ramirez played a crucial role for the Panthers in their win over the weekend as she was able to rally her teammates and record the road win.

The Panthers had been struggling to complete plays throughout the first 50 minutes of the game and that left Graziano questioning his teams passion and commitment.

“I led by example, I was out there working my butt off the entire game and later in the second half my forwards started to rally and bring us back,” she said. “They noticed I needed some help and they found the right spots at the right time.”

Ramirez’s effort in the second half inspired her teammates and they rallied together to rattle off 36 unanswered points in the 43-15 win.

Graziano raved about his captain’s performance and how instrumental she was in the win.

“If I have to give credit to anyone it was Narissa Ramirez; there is a reason she is the only captain for this squad,” Graziano said. “She is the heart and sole of this team and she proved it today, I tip my hat off to her.”

Ramirez is viewed as the most important player in Graziano’s scheme, and her teammates rely on her performance on a game-to-game basis to set the tone for what the Panthers will look to do.

Ramirez and the Panthers have enjoyed the 5-0 start, and they will look to make it 6-0 this weekend when they travel to Hamden Conn., to take on the Quinnipiac Bobcats.

Jordan Pottorff can be reached at 581-7942 or jbpottorff@eiu.edu.