MIAMI – A trio of juniors earned first-team honors to highlight a total of seven selections for the FIU Football team to the All-Conference USA and All-CUSA Freshman squads, which were released by conference officials on Tuesday.
 
Junior wide receiver Eric Rivers, junior linebacker Travion Barnes and junior defensive back JoJo Evans were each selected to the All-CUSA First Team for the first time in their careers.
 
In addition, senior Jeramy Passmore (DL), junior Dean Patterson (WR) and C'Quan Jnopierre (KR) were each honored with second-team All-CUSA honors.  Redshirt freshman offensive lineman Jaheim Buchannon was named to the All-CUSA Freshman Team.
 
Rivers had a breakout season in 2024 as he amassed an FIU single-season record 1,172 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns – both of which led Conference USA.  He ranked fifth nationally in receiving yards and fourth in touchdown catches.  His 12 touchdown catches were also an FIU program record for a single season.
 
In addition, he showed a knack for the big play all season as he ranked second in CUSA and 19th among FBS players with an average of 18.9 yards per reception.  He recorded a total of five games with over 100 receiving yards, including a 295-yard effort against New Mexico State – which ranked as the second-best performance among all FBS players in 2024. 
 
Barnes established himself as the unquestioned leader of the defense in his first year in the FIU program as he totaled 129 tackles – the second-highest season total in FIU annals.  His 129 stops also ranked third among all FBS players and led CUSA.  He recorded a total of eight games with double-digit tackles and registered 10.5 tackles for loss and three sacks.
 
Evans also made an immediate impact in his first season as a starter for the Panthers as he recorded 93 tackles – which ranked 58th nationally and seventh among CUSA leaders.  He tabbed a total of four games with double-figure stops including a 19-tackle effort against UTEP.  He also nabbed two interceptions and forced a fumble while recovering one.
 
Passmore has been a mainstay on the Panthers' defensive front for each of the last three seasons.  He recorded 35 tackles along with 3.5 TFLs and 1.5 sacks.

Patterson enjoyed his best season as a Panther with a total of 685 receiving yards and seven touchdown catches.  He posted three games with 90 receiving yards or more and averaged 13.7 yards per reception.
 
Jnopierre burst on the scene as one of the nation's top kick returners in 2024 as evidenced by his CUSA best average of 28.3 yards per kickoff return – which also was the third-best average nationally.  He posted a total of 16 returns of 20 yards or more and 12 returns of 30 yards or more this season.
 
Buchannon was an All-CUSA Freshman Team selection following a season which saw him start all 11 games at multiple positions on the offensive line.  He saw time at both center and guard while helping lead a unit that allowed only 17 sacks this season – down from 46 in 2023.
 
All-CUSA First Team
Offense
QB Tyler Huff, Jax State
RB Tre Stewart, Jax State
RB Quinton Cooley, Liberty
WR Eric Rivers, FIU
WR Omari Kelly, MTSU
WR Tru Edwards, LA Tech
TE Holden Willis, MTSU
OL Jordan White, Liberty
OL Clay Webb, Jax State
OL Xavior Gray, Liberty
OL Aaron Fenimore, Liberty
OL Will O'Steen, Jax State
 
Defense
DE Maurice Westmoreland, UTEP
DT David Blay, LA Tech
DT Hosea Wheeler, WKU
DE Chris Murray, Sam Houston
LB Travion Barnes, FIU
LB Reginald Hughes, Jax State
LB Kavian Gaither, Sam Houston
DB Fred Perry, Jax State
DB Caleb Weaver, Sam Houston
DB Upton Stout, WKU
DB JoJo Evans, FIU
 
Special Teams
K Lucas Carneiro, WKU
P Jacob Ulrich, Kennesaw State
KR Qua Ashley, Kennesaw State
PR Kam Thomas, UTEP
LS Brody Butler, MTSU
 
All-CUSA Second Team
Offense
QB Caden Veltkamp, WKU
RB Seth McGowan, NM State
RB Mike Washington, NM State
WR Kisean Johnson, WKU
WR Kenny Odom, UTEP
WR Dean Patterson, FIU
TE Carson Kent, Kennesaw State
OL Ethan Hagler, Sam Houston
OL AJ Vaipulu, NM State
OL James Dawn II, Sam Houston
OL Quantavious Leslie, WKU
OL Marshall Jackson, WKU
 
Defense
DE J-Rock Swain, Jax State
DT Kyran Duhon, UTEP
DT Jeramy Passmore, FIU
DE TJ Bush, Liberty
LB Joseph Carter, Liberty
LB Kolbe Fields, LA Tech
LB Tyler Martinez, NM State
DB Devonte' Mathews, WKU
DB Geimere Latimer, Jax State
DB JeRico Washington Jr., Kennesaw State
DB Brylan Green, Liberty
 
Special Teams
K Abraham Montaño, NM State
P George Eberle, NM State
KR C'Quan Jnopierre, FIU
PR Omari Kelly, MTSU
LS Rex Robich, WKU
 
All-CUSA Honorable Mention
Offense
QB Kaidon Salter, Liberty
RB Jay Ducker, Sam Houston
RB Qua Ashley, Kennesaw State
WR Easton Messer, WKU
WR Simeon Evans, Sam Houston
WR Jimmy Holiday, LA Tech
TE Eli Finley, LA Tech
OL Canaan Yarro, NM State
OL Travon Taylor, WKU
OL Evan Wibberley, WKU
OL Otis Pitts III, UTEP
OL Bert Hale, LA Tech
 
Defense
DE CJ Bazile Jr., Liberty
DT Dallas Walker, WKU
DT KD Johnson, UTEP
DE Deante McCray, WKU
LB Zach Zimos, LA Tech
LB Darius Thomas, WKU
LB Laletia Hale, Jax State
DB Tyler Hallum, Kennesaw State
DB A'Khori Jones, Liberty
DB Xavier Williams, MTSU
DB Kory Chapman, UTEP
 
Special Teams
K Austin Welch, Kennesaw State
P Grant Chadwick, MTSU
KR Demarcus Griffin-Taylor, LA Tech
PR Brylan Green, Liberty
LS Bryce Robinson, Kennesaw State
 
 
All-Freshman Team
Offense
QB Evan Bullock, LA Tech
RB DJ McKinney, Sam Houston
RB Jekail Middlebrook, MTSU
WR TJ Pride, NM State
WR Cam Vaughn, Jax State
WR Cameron Flowers, WKU
TE Martavious Collins, UTEP
OL Jacob Norcross, Kennesaw State
OL Jaheim Buchanon, FIU
OL Amare Grayson, Jax State
OL Kolt Deiterich, Sam Houston
OL BJ Tolo, NM State
 
Defense
DE Anthony Bynum, MTSU
DT Shakai Woods, MTSU
DT Malaki Ta'ase, NM State
DE Kyran Duhon, UTEP
LB Stratton Shufelt, UTEP
LB Jaylin Jones, UTEP
LB Lofton Howard, WKU
DB Zechariah Poyser, Jax State
DB JeRico Washington Jr., Kennesaw State
DB Tayden Barnes, NM State
DB Isaac Paul, Kennesaw State
 
Special Teams
K Garrison Rippa, Jax State
P Jacob Ulrich, Kennesaw State
 
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