* During the month of July, www.EIUpanthers.com will take a look back at the Top 13 moments that shaped the 2009-10 school year.  Stories will be posted each Monday, Wednesday and Friday of July *

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Ta'Kenya Nixon, the little guard from Michigan City, Ind., became a household name for Eastern Illinois women's basketball fans as she burst onto the scene with one of the most heralded freshman seasons in school history.

Nixon did it all for the Panthers as she led the club in points, assists, rebounds, steals, free throw percentage and minutes played. Along the way she helped EIU win its first Ohio Valley Conference regular-season championship and appearance in the post-season NIT.

She was named the OVC Freshman of the Year, to the OVC first team and OVC All-Newcomer team as she earned OVC Player of the Week honors three times and Newcomer of the Week accolades five times. Nixon would end her freshman season being named the Daily Eastern News Female Athlete of the Year.

Head coach Brady Sallee said the most impressive thing about Nixon is that she was able to do it in so many different ways. EIU ended the year with a 23-11 record and 16-2 mark in the OVC. Nixon ended the year averaging 14.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.1 steals per game. 

Nixon Named DEN Female Athlete Of The Year