Eastern Illinois football concluded the 2025 season last Saturday with a loss at FBS power Alabama. 
 
On Tuesday (Nov. 25) the Panthers had several players earn OVC-Big South Association honors with a pair of first team selections.
 
Mason Miller was named the Special Teams Player of the Year as well as first team punter.  Tylan Foster was a first team selection at linebacker.
 
EIU had four second team selections with offensive linemen Nic DiSanto and Rahfeeq Katumbusi, linebacker Ja'Wuan Nickson and punt returner Cooper Willman.
 
The conference added an honorable mention team for this season with six Panthers landing on that list with defensive linemen Trevon Piggee, Alton Jefferson and Samuel Robles, defensive backs Moses Alexander and Isaiah Houi and long snapper Brett Galletti.
 
Miller was the Special Teams Player of the Year and first team All OVC-Big South punter after setting the school record for single season punting average at 47.4 yards per punt which ranked fourth in the FCS for the season.
 
Foster was a first team All OVC-Big South selection at linebacker leading the Panthers this season with 100 tackles.  He ended the year 44th in the FCS in total tackles and second in the conference.
 
DiSanto and Katumbusi were both fixtures on the offensive line this season with each starting eleven games.  DiSanto played at both guard and tackle while Katumbusi was the starter at center.
 
Nickson was a starter at linebacker finishing second on the team and fourth in the conference in total tackles with 95 while leading EIU with 8.5 tackles for loss.
 
Willman was a second team selection at punt returner despite missing the final three games due to injury.  He averaged 10.4 yards per punt return for the season.

2025 All OVC-Big South Awards

2025 OVC-BIG SOUTH FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION TEAMS AND AWARD WINNERS
Offensive Player of the Year: Kekoa Visperas (QB, R-Sr.), Tennessee Tech
Defensive Player of the Year: Keyshawn Johnson (OLB, Jr.), UT Martin
Special Teams Player of the Year: Mason Miller (P, Grad.), Eastern Illinois 
Offensive Freshman of the Year: Cason Carswell (QB, Fr.), Western Illinois
Defensive Freshman of the Year: Anthony Paulk (DB, R-Fr.), Charleston Southern
Coach of the Year: Bobby Wilder, Tennessee Tech

FIRST-TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
OFFENSE
QB – Kekoa Visperas, R-Sr., Tennessee Tech
RB – Carson Gresock, R-Jr., Gardner-Webb
RB – Markell Holman, Jr., Western Illinois
RB – Quasean Holmes, Grad., Gardner-Webb
WR – Rico Bond, R-Fr., Lindenwood
WR – Chris Lofton, R-So., Gardner-Webb
WR – Cam Pedro, Jr., Southeast Missouri
WR – Rashawn Cunningham, R-Fr., Charleston Southern
TE – Brian Courtney, Sr., Tennessee Tech
OL – Logan Weedman, Sr., Tennessee Tech
OL – Drew Wilder, Sr., Tennessee Tech
OL – Josiah Tingley, Grad., UT Martin
OL – Andrew Threatt, Jr., Charleston Southern
OL – Elijah Bowser, R-Sr., UT Martin
OL – Gavin Hulet, R-Sr., Lindenwood

DEFENSE
DL – Keyshawn Johnson, Jr., UT Martin
DL – Robert Holtz, Sr., Gardner-Webb
DL – James Stewart, R-Sr., Tennessee State
DL – Malik McKinzie, Sr., Charleston Southern
DL – Antonio O'Berry, Grad., Gardner-Webb
LB – Theron Gaines, Sr., Tennessee Tech
LB – Steve Zayachkowsky, Jr., Charleston Southern
LB – Aaron Swafford, Sr., Tennessee Tech
LB – Christian Pierce, Sr., Western Illinois
LB – Tylan Foster, R-Sr., Eastern Illinois
DB – Tim Coutras, Grad., Tennessee Tech
DB – Andrew Smith, Grad., Tennessee Tech
DB – JaMichael McGoy Jr., R-Sr., UT Martin
DB – Jacob Stevenson, R-Sr., UT Martin
DB – Landon Sylvie, So., Southeast Missouri

SPECIALISTS
PK – Cade Hechter, Jr., UT Martin
P – Mason Miller, Grad., Eastern Illinois
LS – Hayden King, R-So., UT Martin
KR – Anthony Lowe, Grad., Gardner-Webb
PR – Tre' Holloway, Sr., Tennessee Tech
AP – Anthony Lowe, Grad., Gardner-Webb


SECOND-TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
OFFENSE
QB – Nate Glantz, R-Sr., Lindenwood
QB – Jase Bauer, R-Sr., UT Martin
RB – Quintell Quinn, R-Sr., Tennessee Tech
RB – Q'Daryius Jennings, R-Sr., Tennessee Tech
RB – Steve Hall, R-So., Lindenwood
WR – Anthony Lowe, Grad., Gardner-Webb
WR – Tre' Holloway, Sr., Tennessee Tech
WR – Demari Davis, Sr., Western Illinois
WR – Jalen Smith, R-So., Lindenwood
TE – Alex Williams, Sr., Western Illinois
OL – Andrew Threatt, R-Jr., Gardner-Webb
OL – Christian Thomas, Sr., Tennessee Tech
OL – Aaron McIver, R-Jr., Gardner-Webb
OL – Nic DiSanto, Jr., Eastern Illinois
OL – Rahfeeq Katumbusi, R-Fr., Eastern Illinois
OL – Jai'Lun Hampton, Grad., UT Martin

DEFENSE
DL – Maurice LaPierre, Sr., Tennessee Tech
DL – Chima Iwuagwu, Grad., Tennessee Tech
DL – Tajay Passmore, R-Sr., Lindenwood
DL – Toby Camp, R-Sr., UT Martin
DL – David Portu, R-Jr., Charleston Southern
LB – Justin Waters, Sr., Charleston Southern
LB – Tah Mac Bright Banda, Grad., UT Martin
LB – Ja'Wuan Nickson, Jr., Eastern Illinois
LB – Jeremy Walton, Sr., Southeast Missouri
LB – Jacob Waller, R-Jr., Lindenwood
DB – Josiah Harris, Jr., Gardner-Webb
DB – Gavin Bryson, Sr., Tennessee Tech
DB – Champ Brantley, Jr., Charleston Southern
DB – Knai Cook, So., Charleston Southern
DB – Jayden Patrick, R-Sr., Lindenwood

SPECIALISTS
PK – Justin Keller, Sr., Southeast Missouri
P – Ryan Kingston, Sr., Southeast Missouri
LS – Judd Cunningham, Sr., Southeast Missouri
KR – Cole Ruble, Jr., Southeast Missouri
PR – Cooper Willman, Grad., Eastern Illinois
AP – Tre' Holloway, Sr., Tennessee Tech

HONORABLE MENTION ALL-CONFERENCE
OFFENSE
QB – Zolten Osborne, R-So., Charleston Southern
RB – Ke'Marion Baldwin, R-So., Charleston Southern
RB – Jared Rhodes, R-Jr., Lindenwood
RB – Brandon Epton Jr., Sr., Southeast Missouri
WR – Maury Sullivan, Jr.., Tennessee Tech
WR – Noah Robinson, Sr., Tennessee Tech
WR – Kalvin Gilbert, So., Southeast Missouri
WR – Bryce Bailey, R-Sr., UT Martin
TE – Darrin Fugitt, R-Jr., Lindenwood
OL – Colin Sorensen, So., Charleston Southern
OL – CJ Dawson, R-Sr., Gardner-Webb
OL – Veguer Jean-Jumeau, R-Fr., Tennessee State
OL – Sam Reynolds, So., Southeast Missouri
OL – Luke Rector, R-So., Gardner-Webb
OL – Dagen Miller, Sr., Western Illinois

DEFENSE
DL – Kobe McClendon, R-Sr., Lindenwood
DL – Steven Lewis, Sr., Southeast Missouri
DL – Trevon Piggee, R-So., Eastern Illinois
DL – Alton Jefferson, R-Sr., Eastern Illinois
DL – Samuel Robles, Jr., Eastern Illinois
LB – Slade Dollar, Sr., Southeast Missouri
LB – Cahari Haynes, R-So., Gardner-Webb
LB – Sanjay Strickland, R-Sr., Lindenwood
LB – Justin Buckner, Fr., Western Illinois
LB – Shamari Weir, Grad., UT Martin
DB – Anthony Paulk, R-Fr., Charleston Southern
DB – Eric Gant, R-Sr., Lindenwood
DB – Moses Alexander, R-Sr., Eastern Illinois
DB – Isaiah Houi, So., Eastern Illinois
DB – Que Billingsley, R-So., Gardner-Webb

SPECIALISTS
PK – Charlie Viorel, Jr., Gardner-Webb
P – Brady Braun, Sr., Gardner-Webb
LS – Brett Galletti, Grad., Eastern Illinois
KR – CJ Bennett, Fr., Lindenwood
PR – Anthony Lowe, Grad., Gardner-Webb
AP – Kendric Rhymes, Grad., Tennessee State