Commonwealth Conference Men’s Basketball
November 10, 2008
Widener Favored in Commonwealth Conference Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll
ANNVILLE, Pa. – Widener University has been chosen as the favorite to win the Commonwealth Conference crown during the 2008-09 men’s basketball season by the conference coaches in the annual preseason poll. The Pride (23-6, 6-4) received 43 points and six first-place votes. Led by seniors Charles Jones (15.7 ppg), Nyere Miller (12.3 ppg), and Matt Sosna (10.3 ppg), the Pride look to repeat as conference champions and return to the NCAA Tournament for a fourth straight season. Jones was named a First-Team All-Conference selection a season ago. After a victory over Averett University in last year’s tournament, Widener is ranked seventh in the 2008-09 Small College Hoops Preseason Poll and 23rd in the D3Hoops.com poll.
Lycoming (17-10, 7-3) places second in the poll with 34 points.
The Warriors under first-year Head Coach Guy Rancourt look to rebound after last season’s conference championship loss after being the first seed in the conference tournament. The squad brings back first team all conference selection junior Eric Anthony, who placed fourth in the conference with 14.7 points per game. Senior Greg Sye, a second team all conference pick, returns as he posted 10.9 points per game. Classmate Jemayne Nowlin joins Sye in the starting lineup, after his 7.0 points per game in 26 games played.
Tied for third place in the poll is Lebanon Valley with 32 votes and one first-place vote.
The Dutchmen (11-15, 5-5) bring back their two senior guards in Kyle Enoch and Dan Hodge who led the team to a conference playoff berth last season as the fourth seed. Enoch, a second team all conference selection, recorded 12.6 points per contest, good for seventh-best in the conference. Hodge, the 6-3 guard, finished 10th in the conference a season ago, tallying 11.9 points per game in 26 games on the floor. Classmate Eric Humphrey will also add leadership after giving Lebanon Valley 7.1 points per game in 25 games.
Albright (17-9, 6-4) comes in tied for third with Lebanon Valley in the poll with 32 votes.
The Lions try to mirror last season’s second-place finish in the conference but have to replace many standouts from last season. After losing first team all conference selection Albert Medora, who finished fifth in points scored (13.9) and first in rebounds (10.3) per game in addition to Tom Murphy (10.8 ppg), Albright holds onto 6-11 senior center Phil Hall (6.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg) and junior Andre Murphy, who recorded 9.2 points per contest as a second-year guard. The 2008-09 season will mark the 100th year for Lions men’s basketball.
Messiah (15-10, 4-6) comes in at fifth in the poll with 21 points.
The Falcons, finishing just one game back of a playoff spot last year, will be led by senior Jason Miller and juniors Andy Hawk, Josh Curtain, and Jamie Yoder. Messiah loses first team all conference selection Darryl Brown (12.0 ppg) and John Boyd (7.6 ppg). Second team all conference pick Hawk, who ranked 13th in points (10.8 ppg) and sixth in rebounds (5.6 rpg) will be able to pick up where he left off last season.
Elizabethtown (15-9, 2-8 CC) sits in the sixth seed in the poll with 19 points.
The Blue Jays will play this season without graduates Mike Schatzmann and Chad Piersol, both one and two in the conference in scoring a season ago. Both players also finished in the top ten in rebounding as well. Schatzmann, who scored 20.2 points and brought down 5.1 rebounds per game, was named a first team all conference selection in 2007-08. Piersol had similar success, posting 17.3 points and 5.0 rebounds per game while being named to the second team all conference squad. Elizabethtown does however return senior Phil Shaffer (4.5 ppg), juniors Mike Church (11.7 ppg) and Chris Fairbanks, and sophomore Keith Fogel (5.9 ppg).
Arcadia (12-13, 6-6) places seventh in the poll with 15 points.
The Knights look to overcome last season’s loss to Manhattanville that would have secured them a playoff berth in the Freedom Conference. Arcadia, while losing Sterling Green, Eric Elliott, and Kevin Brown, bring back seniors Bobby Mulholland Terrell Varnado, Blaise Pepitone, and Damien Palentino. Mulholland led the Knights last season in points scored in the conference (15.3 ppg) while averaging over 30 minutes per start. Green, who was a three-year player for the Knights, finished his career as an Arthur Ashe Jr. Scholar Athlete (716 points, 127 assists, 251 rebounds, 107 steals). In addition, Elliott was a 1,000-point scorer for Arcadia during his career.
Commonwealth Conference Preseason Basketball Poll
1. Widener 43 points (6)
2. Lycoming 34 points
3t. Lebanon Valley 32 points (1)
3t. Albright 32 points
5. Messiah 21 points
6. Elizabethtown 19 points
7. Arcadia 15 points
(first place votes in parenthesis)
Freedom Conference Men’s Basketball
November 10, 2008
Wilkes Favored in Freedom Conference Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll
Annville, Pa. – Wilkes has been named as the favorite in the Freedom Conference pre-season poll of conference coaches. Wilkes received seven first place votes and a total of 72 points. Last season the Colonels finished fourth in the conference with a record of 13-12 (7-5). Heading into the conference tournament, Wilkes lost to #1 seed DeSales. Leading the way for the Colonels will be Rookie of the Year Chris DeRojas (14.2 ppg, 48 assists and 34 steals) and second team all conference guard Tom Kresge (15.2 ppg, 6.5 rpg).
DeSales was second in the poll with 64 total points and two first place votes.
Entering the tournament as the #1 seed, the Bulldogs topped Wilkes in the semi-finals game. Going into the championship game with rival King’s, DeSales was defeated for the second straight season by the Monarchs. Losing conference Player of the Year in Phil Stricker to graduation, DeSales will be set to return this season and look to get over the hump and bring the championship home. Coach of the Year Scott Coval will rely on junior Darnell Braswell (13.6 ppg) and senior Ed Lapinski (11.6 ppg, 6.9 rpg) to lead the team.
Alvernia (16-11,13-3) placed third in the poll with 54 total points.
Joining the Freedom Conference, Alvernia leaves the PAC as a dominating team. Last season the Knights looked to win their 3rd consecutive PAC Title, however they slipped in the semifinals to their kryptonite, Gwynedd-Mercy, and then once again to the Griffins in the ECAC semi-finals. With no seniors graduating, and another year for this battle-tested team to grow, expect Alvernia to continue its run of recent success in their new conference.
Misericordia received 52 points in the poll placing them fourth.
Last season, the Cougars finished 19-10,11-5 and reached the PAC and ECAC semi-finals. This year the team debuts in the Freedom Conference under PAC Coach of the Year Trevor Woodruff. Coach Woodruff led his team to its first winning record in five years. Senior Vinny Baumunk (All-PAC first team, 15.0 ppg, 6.2 rpg) and junior Dom Del Prete (11.5 ppg, 50 steals) and Marcus Little (6.4 ppg) will lead the squad.
King’s (20-9, 9-3) was selected fifth with 45 total points.
The Monarchs enter the 2008-09 season looking to rebuild. After winning the 2008 Freedom Conference title, the Monarchs graduated nine senior players, including eight who either started or saw extensive playing time. Of the 15 players on King's roster, six return from last year but only two saw significant playing time. Sophomore 6-5 power forward Kevin Conroy is the lone returning starter, averaging 5.1 points and 2.7 rebounds per-game. Junior 6-3 forward Jim Schule is the only other returnee who saw quality time a year, averaging 3.5 points and 2.5 rebounds.
Manhattanville (17-9, 9-3) came in sixth in this year’s poll with 37 points.
After earning a share of the Freedom Conference regular season title, the reloaded Manhattanville team will look to replace five graduating seniors. After losing to King’s by 3 points in overtime in the semi-finals, the Valiants will again challenge for the conference title. Junior Wesley Wicks (7.8 ppg) will lead the offensive charge.
Eastern (11-14, 8-8) received 34 points for seventh place.
With seven graduating seniors, this season will bring many new faces. The Eagles are looking forward to the challenge of competing in the Freedom Conference since leaving the PAC. Eastern will be led by junior guard Jason Reels (10.7 ppg) and senior center Daryl Leegwater (8.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg).
FDU-Florham (3-22, 2-10) was eighth with 27 points.
Looking to improve on last year’s sixth place finish, the Devils will be led by senior guard Ryan McPherson (18.3 ppg).
Delaware Valley (3-22, 0-12) rounds out the poll in ninth place with 20 points.
Under the direction of first year head coach Casey Stitzel, the Aggies look to have a revamped roster and are ready to make some noise in the conference. The top returnee for the Aggies is Jason Seipt (10.6 ppg).
Freedom Conference Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll
1. Wilkes 72 pts. (7)
2. DeSales 64 pts. (2)
3. Alvernia 54 pts.
4. Misericordia 52 pts.
5. King’s 45 pts.
6. Manhattanville 37 pts.
7. Eastern 34 pts.
8. FDU-Florham 27 pts.
9. Delaware Valley 20 pts.
(first place votes in parenthesis)