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** During the month of July, EIUPanthers.com will take a look back at 14 events, moments and players that helped shape the 2023-24 academic year. **

Eastern Illinois freshman made a splash not on their respective Panther teams but also on the national stage as MJ Flowers from football and McKenzie Oslanzi from softball had big college seasons.
 
Flowers helped lead the Panthers to a turnaround on the gridiron as he was the Big South/OVC Football Association Freshman of the Year.  He would go on to become EIU's first-ever finalist for the Jerry Rice Award (presented to the nation's top FCS Freshman play) and finished second in voting for the award.  Flowers was a first team All-Conference performer leading EIU in rushing with 854 which was second nationally among FCS freshmen.  He was named to multiple Freshman All-American teams following the near and earned FCS National Freshman of the Year honors one time during the season.  Flowers ripped off two 200-plus yard rushing days with his 272 yard effort against McNeese the third best single game total in school history.  He closed the home portion of the year with four touchdowns and 201 yards against Tennessee State. The four touchdowns were tied for the third most in a single game in school history.
 
Oslanzi was dominant in the circle for EIU helping pitch the Panthers to the Ohio Valley Conference regular season championship.  Oslanzi opened the season winning OVC Pitcher of the Week honors the first three weeks of the season.  She would end the year being named the OVC Freshman of the Year and a first team All-OVC selection.  She earned CSE Freshman All-American honors and was named to the NFCA/Tucci Top 25 Freshman list during the season.  She added NFCA second team All-Region honors at the end of the season after posting a 21-5 record with a 1.70 ERA.  Nationally Oslanzi finished the season ranked 20^th in the NCAA in strike out  to walk ratio, 23^rd in wins, 25^th in fewest walks allowed and 32^nd in earned run average.  Her 21 wins ranks fourth on the EIU single season list.  In addition Oslanzi posted a .260 average at the plate with eight doubles, three home runs and 27 RBI.

EIU had other conference level standout performances during the season by freshmen including Joe Stoddard in men's track & field, Bryce Riggs in baseball, Brenda Torres in women's cross country and Alex Tetteh in women's soccer.
 
2023-24 Year In Review
No. 14 – EIU Welcomes New Head Coaches
No. 13 – Former Panthers Make Major League Debut