News from the FCS
July 18th, 2016, 11:10 AM
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NASHVILLE – The Ohio Valley Conference football season officially begins on the field in a just under seven weeks.* On Monday in Nashville, the league released its preseason All-Conference team and predicted order of finish. Eastern Illinois was selected to finish third in this year's OVC football race in voting that had four points separate three teams picked second through fourth behind preseason favorite Jacksonville State. Three Panthers – Devin Church, Bradley Dewberry, Seth McDonald – were selected to the preseason All-OVC team as EIU will open its 2016 season on Sept. 1 hosting Western Illinois at O'Brien Field.* Season ticket sales and renewals are now underway by calling 217-581-2106 or online at www.eiupanthertickets.com Jacksonville State was the preseason OVC favorite after winning back-to-back OVC titles in 2014 and 2015.* The Gamecocks had 16 first place votes and 128 overall points.* Eastern Kentucky was tabbed second with 100 points.* Eastern Illinois was third with 97 total points including two first place votes.* UT Martin was fourth with 96 points.* Southeast Missouri was selected fifth with 66 points followed by Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech, Murray State and Austin Peay. JSU had both preseason players of the year in quarterback Eli Jenkins and defensive lineman Darius Jackson. EIU placed three players on the preseason team as the Panthers return 15 starters from last year's team that went 7-1 in the OVC and made the school's 16th FCS playoff appearance.* EIU was 7-5 overall and finished the season ranked in both FCS final polls (23rd FCS Coaches / 25th STATS Media) Church was a second team All-OVC selection and All-OVC Newcomer selection last season.* The senior from Detroit, Mich., was named one of two preseason All-OVC running backs.* He led the Panthers with 743 yards rushing with nine touchdowns.** Church was the Panthers top receiver in terms of receptions hauling in 36 passes for 254 yards and two scores.** Early last season Church was the Panthers kick returner averaging 21 yards per return. Dewberry, a junior safety from Stockbridge, Ga., was named a preseason All-OVC player in the secondary.* Last season Dewberry was second on the Panthers team with 73 tackles.* He add four interceptions including two in the final regular season win over Eastern Kentucky that helped propel the Panthers to the postseason.* *In last year's season opener Dewberry became the first player in school history to score a two-point defensive conversion returning a blocked extra point attempt for the score. McDonald, a senior linebacker from Sandwich, Ill., was named to the preseason All-OVC team as a linebacker.* McDonald led the Panthers in tackles last season with 109 which ranked fourth in the league.* He was twice named the OVC Defensive Player of the Week last season in games against Western Illinois and Illinois State.** McDonald had two interceptions including one returned for a touchdown against Illinois State.*
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NASHVILLE – The Ohio Valley Conference football season officially begins on the field in a just under seven weeks.* On Monday in Nashville, the league released its preseason All-Conference team and predicted order of finish. Eastern Illinois was selected to finish third in this year's OVC football race in voting that had four points separate three teams picked second through fourth behind preseason favorite Jacksonville State. Three Panthers – Devin Church, Bradley Dewberry, Seth McDonald – were selected to the preseason All-OVC team as EIU will open its 2016 season on Sept. 1 hosting Western Illinois at O'Brien Field.* Season ticket sales and renewals are now underway by calling 217-581-2106 or online at www.eiupanthertickets.com Jacksonville State was the preseason OVC favorite after winning back-to-back OVC titles in 2014 and 2015.* The Gamecocks had 16 first place votes and 128 overall points.* Eastern Kentucky was tabbed second with 100 points.* Eastern Illinois was third with 97 total points including two first place votes.* UT Martin was fourth with 96 points.* Southeast Missouri was selected fifth with 66 points followed by Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech, Murray State and Austin Peay. JSU had both preseason players of the year in quarterback Eli Jenkins and defensive lineman Darius Jackson. EIU placed three players on the preseason team as the Panthers return 15 starters from last year's team that went 7-1 in the OVC and made the school's 16th FCS playoff appearance.* EIU was 7-5 overall and finished the season ranked in both FCS final polls (23rd FCS Coaches / 25th STATS Media) Church was a second team All-OVC selection and All-OVC Newcomer selection last season.* The senior from Detroit, Mich., was named one of two preseason All-OVC running backs.* He led the Panthers with 743 yards rushing with nine touchdowns.** Church was the Panthers top receiver in terms of receptions hauling in 36 passes for 254 yards and two scores.** Early last season Church was the Panthers kick returner averaging 21 yards per return. Dewberry, a junior safety from Stockbridge, Ga., was named a preseason All-OVC player in the secondary.* Last season Dewberry was second on the Panthers team with 73 tackles.* He add four interceptions including two in the final regular season win over Eastern Kentucky that helped propel the Panthers to the postseason.* *In last year's season opener Dewberry became the first player in school history to score a two-point defensive conversion returning a blocked extra point attempt for the score. McDonald, a senior linebacker from Sandwich, Ill., was named to the preseason All-OVC team as a linebacker.* McDonald led the Panthers in tackles last season with 109 which ranked fourth in the league.* He was twice named the OVC Defensive Player of the Week last season in games against Western Illinois and Illinois State.** McDonald had two interceptions including one returned for a touchdown against Illinois State.*
More... (http://www.eiupanthers.com/news/2016/7/18/football-three-panthers-named-preseason-all-ovc.aspx)