DEN website | Coach of the Year | Team of the Year

CHARLESTON, Ill. -- Eastern Illinois basketball players Tyler Laser and Ta'Kenya Nixon have been named The Daily Eastern News Male and Female Athletes of the Year for the 2009-10 school year.

Both players were named First Team All-Ohio Valley Conference and helped lead their teams to the conference tournament final four in Nashville. It marked the first time that both the EIU men and women advanced to Nashville in the same season.

Laser, a junior, is the first men's basketball player to win the DEN's yearly honor since Henry Domercant in 2003.

Nixon, a freshman, is the first freshman to win the award dating back to its inception in 2001. A women's basketball player has been honored in four of the last five years.

The Daily Eastern News is EIU's student newspaper. Eastern Illinois is the only school in the OVC with a daily a student newspaper and has the second smallest enrollment of any university in the country with a daily student paper.

Laser Thrives in Leadership Role >>> Complete story
By Bob Bajek

Tyler Laser knew his role would be different this season as opposed to his first two years. He had to lead the Eastern men's basketball team when three-time leading scorer Romain Martin was sidelined with a knee injury.

The junior guard became the offensive, court and vocal leader in Martin's absence. Laser led Eastern to its first Ohio Valley Conference Tournament win since 2001 and was the first Panther to be named All-OVC First Team since Henry Domercant in 2003.

For these reasons, Laser was chosen to be the 2009-10 Daily Eastern News Male Athlete of the Year.

The Hillsdale, Mich., native said he knew losing Martin would challenge the whole team, but he said he wanted everyone to step up. The 6-foot-1, 183-pound guard said he felt ready to step into the leadership role.

"I've grown so much since high school," Laser said. "When I came here, I was like 'I averaged 30 points per game in high school and I'm going to come in here and be able to do what I did in high school.' But it was more physical with more speed of the game and more complex. It's just learning from good coaches." >>> Read the rest at DENnews.com

Historic Season Sets Nixon Apart >>> Complete Story
By Alex McNamee

Ta'Kenya Nixon had one of the best - if not the best - freshman seasons of anybody ever to come through the Eastern women's basketball program, which is why she has been named The Daily Eastern News Female Athlete of the Year.

The fresh face from Michigan City, Ind. took the Ohio Valley Conference by storm in her first season on campus, breaking seven school records - rebounds, assists, steals, free throws made, free throws attempted, games played and games started - on her way to being named OVC Player of the Week three times and OVC Freshman of the Week five times.

In head coach Brady Sallee's memory, two other freshman seasons stand out. Former Panthers Rachel Galligan and Jessica Huffman had great freshman years but Sallee said Nixon probably had the best.

"The most impressive thing about Ta'Kenya's was that she did it in so many different ways," Sallee said. >>> Read the rest at DENnews.com

2009-10 Male Honorable Mention
Darren Patterson, Track & Field
James Hollowell, Basketball
Otis Hudson, Football

Past Male Winners
2009: Zye Boey, Track
2008: Mick Galeski, Soccer
2007: Vincent Webb, Jr., Football
2006: Clint Sellers, Football
2005: Aaron Grobengeisser, Track
2004: C.J. Webber, Tennis
2003: Henry Domercant, Basketball
2002: Tony Romo, Football
2001: Kyle Hill, Basketball

2009-10 Female Honorable Mention
Kandace Arnold, Track & Field
Denee' Menzione, Softball

Past Female Winners
2009: Rachel Galligan, Basketball
2008: Rachel Galligan, Basketball/Track
2007: Marlise Davidson, Rugby/Swimming/Track
2006: Megan Sparks, Basketball
2005: Erica Gerth, Volleyball
2004: Beth Liesen, Soccer
2003: Kate Taake, Rugby
2002: Beth Liesen, Soccer
2001: Jeanine Fredrick, Soccer