* 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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The program's first regular-season conference title of any kind, a third consecutive berth in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament title game and an appearance in the Postseason WNIT were the highlights of Eastern Illinois women's basketball's perseverant 2009-10 championship season.

 

A five-player senior class teamed with a group of seven underclassmen and led EIU to the top of the OVC standings. The Panthers not only overcame the loss of four starters from the 2009 team, but also the unexpected death of assistant coach Jackie Moore just 10 days before the season opener at Ohio State. Moore was only 28 years old.

 

Eastern won a school-record 13 consecutive games from Jan. 2 through Feb. 13, sweeping both meetings with preseason favorite Morehead State in the process. When EIU finally did suffer its first loss of the 2010 calendar year, it took a remarkable second-half shooting performance (78 percent) by an upstart UT Martin team to end the streak Feb. 18 in Martin. Less than 48 hours later, the Panthers grinded out their first win at Murray State's Regional Special Events Center since 2002 to clinch at least a share of the conference title. The Panthers won the title outright in front of the Lantz Arena faithful five days later with a blowout win against Austin Peay.

 

Eastern went 12-2 at Lantz in 2009-10, highlighted by a flawless 10-0 mark against OVC rivals. Dating back to Dec. 1, 2007, Brady Sallee's team has compiled a 66-26 overall record.

 

As seasoned seniors that had helped EIU contend for the regular-season title and reach the OVC Tournament title game in both 2008 and 2009, Maggie Kloak, Dominique Sims and Ashley Thomas provided the experienced leadership that guided the team along its road to the conference championship. But the Panthers wouldn't have won it without the contributions of the freshman class. Ta'Kenya Nixon quickly emerged as one of the top all-around players in the league, and unquestionably the quickest. She led EIU in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals and free throw percentage. But her classmates – Mariah King, Sydney Mitchell and Kelsey Wyss – as well as sophomore Chantelle Pressley, also played in every game in 2009-10. They proved to be the essential role players that gave the Panthers the top rotation in the league.

 

Eastern came up short in the OVC Tournament title game again, struggling through its poorest shooting effort of the season. But thanks to its regular-season conference championship, the Panthers received an automatic bid to the WNIT. A trip to Milwaukee for a game against Marquette at the Al McGuire Center afforded the opportunity to extend the season into the heart of March. Marquette won the game, but EIU's season was already a success – win or lose in Milwaukee.

Eastern once again had to bid adieu to an accomplished five-player senior class. But with Nixon running the point and Sallee calling the plays from the bench, the Panthers are expected to remain one of the teams to beat in the OVC in the coming years.