Romain Martin is the latest Panther to garner the Ohio Valley Conference’s freshman of the year award in men’s basketball.

The conference announced Thursday Martin was named co-freshman of the year with Eastern Kentucky’s Adam Leonard. Martin also was named to the all-newcomer team.

Martin, a 6-foot-3 guard from Minneapolis, led the Panthers in scoring (14.8 points per game), becoming the first Eastern freshman to lead the team in scoring since the Panthers started Division I play in 1981.

He finished sixth in the conference in scoring and led the conference in free throw shooting (86.7 percent).

“I think he is definitely deserving of the award,” said Eastern head coach Mike Miller in a press release. “I think Romain earned this honor with his performance on the floor and he was recognized for that performance by other coaches in the conference.”

Sophomore point guard Mike Robinson won the award last year, and former Panther George Tandy won the award in 2005.

Tandy transferred to Cleveland State following his sophomore year.

Women’s Basketball takes two OVC awards

Jessica Huffman won Eastern’s second straight freshman of the year award and last year’s winner, sophomore forward Rachel Galligan, earned first-team all-Ohio Valley Conference honors, the league announced Thursday.

“Clearly, we’re pretty excited,” said Eastern head coach Brady Sallee. “It was one of those things, with our team’s success, that they wouldn’t be recognized like they should be.”

The Panthers finished in ninth place in the OVC and did not qualify for the postseason conference tournament this year.

Huffman also was named to the second team all-OVC and the all-newcomer team.

Galligan averaged 17.2 points this season, finishing second in the conference in scoring.

The 6-foot-2 forward scored in double figures in 28 of the Panthers’ 29 games and finished with 499 points on the season.

“It’s really cool to jump from freshman of the year to first team,” Galligan said. “It’s really exciting. It’s good that I’m making progress.”

The 499 points rank seventh on Eastern’s single-season record list and Galligan also finished with 240 rebounds, good for fifth place on Eastern’s single-season record list.

She also led the conference in free throws made (155) and attempted (204).

Huffman broke nine freshman records, including most points scored by a freshman.

The 5-foot-7 guard from Whiteland, Ind., scored 490 points and was named the conference’s freshman of the week six times.

Huffman also broke the school’s single-game scoring record with 38 points against Morehead State.