Eastern Illinois football opens fall camp this weekend and then the season on Thursday, August 31 at Indiana State.
On Friday the preseason Big South-OVC Football team selected by Phil Steele online publication were released with the Panthers placing 15 total players on the preseason team including three selections on the preseason first team
Elijawah Tolbert was a first team selection at linebacker with
Jack Valente a first team selection at long snapper and
Cooper Willman a first team selection at punt returner.
Tolbert was a first team All-OVC selection last year at linebacker finishing the season with 70 tackles which ranked third on the Panthers roster. He led the team with three interceptions and added 6.5 tackles for loss.
Valente was a second team All-OVC selection last year at long snapper as the Panthers posted on the best special teams units in the OVC with the league's first team place kicker and punter.
Willman was a second team All-OVC selection last year at punt returner. He led the OVC in punt return average at 13.4 yards per return which ranked 24th in the FCS.
EIU had five players named to the Phil Steele second team with
Chad Strickland (Offensive Line),
Justin Thomas (Wide Receiver), Tre'Jon Lewis (Defensive Tackle),
Nick Coates (Safety) and
Stone Galloway (kicker)
The Panthers had three players on the Phil Steele third team with
Juwon Farri (Running Back),
Russell Dandy (Defensive Back) and
Mark Aitken (Kick Returner).
The fourth team consisted of EIU players
Kevin Daniels (Running Back),
Max Stineman (Offensive Line),
Tyris Harvey (Defensive Back) and
Joel Barrows (Defensive End).
At this past week's Big South-OVC Media Day in Nashville, the Panthers placed ten players on the preseason Watch List.
Season tickets for the 2023 season are now on sale online at
www.eiupanthers.com/fbtickets or by calling 217-581-2106. Single game tickets will go on sale on Tuesday, August 1.
