Daemen Picked Second In ECC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll

1/8/2021 1:15:00 PM

By: CONTACT: Mike Miranto, Sr. Associate A.D. for External Operations & Communications | (716) 839-8385 | mmiranto@daemen.edu

AMHERST, N.Y. - Daemen College has been picked second in the East Coast Conference Men's Basketball Preseason Poll which was released today following a vote of the league's head coaches. It marks the third straight season that they've been picked among the ECC's top three teams.

Daemen totaled 31 points, including one first-place vote, in the poll to sit behind St. Thomas Aquinas which topped the rankings with 35 points. The Wildcats and Spartans have been the most successful NCAA Division II programs in New York State over the last five seasons, winning 108 and 131 games respectively in that span.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the ECC will feature six competing teams this season. The poll is rounded out by Molloy (20 points), Roberts Wesleyan (19 points), Mercy (14 points) and ECC newcomer D'Youville (seven points). Teams from Bridgeport, Queens and Staten Island, another ECC newcomer, have opted out this season.

The Wildcats have won 70 games over the last three seasons. Coach Mike MacDonald's squad is coming off a 24-8 campaign that resulted in their second consecutive NCAA tournament berth. The team has been idle since their NCAA tournament first round game was canceled due to the pandemic last March.

Daemen returns just five players who appeared in games last season to their active roster for 2020-21, including redshirt senior center Andrew Sischo (Guilderland, N.Y.) who averaged team-highs of 24.9 points and 11.7 rebounds per game en route to earning ECC and East Region Player of the Year honors for the second time.

Now entering their eighth season as a member of the ECC, Daemen has posted a 99-31 conference record since the start of the 2013-14 season. Only St. Thomas Aquinas (103) has won more ECC games in that span.

Daemen is scheduled to get their pandemic-shortened season underway next Saturday, January 16. The Wildcats will visit Mercyhurst for a 2 p.m. tip-off.

EAST COAST CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
1. St. Thomas Aquinas (5) - 35
2. DAEMEN (1) - 31
3. Molloy - 20
4. Roberts Wesleyan - 19
5. Mercy - 14
6. D'Youville - 7

( ) denotes first-place votes

Daemen College features the only NCAA Division II athletics program in the Buffalo-Niagara region, sponsoring 17 intercollegiate teams. For the latest information on Daemen Athletics, follow the Wildcats via social media on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, or sign up to receive customizable news alerts, e-mail newsletters and weekly schedule alerts.

Support Daemen College's return to intercollegiate athletic competitions by making a contribution to the Game On Campaign and the Daemen Wildcats Gotta Play Fund. This comprehensive fundraising campaign was established to help offset the loss of valuable external revenue streams that directly support Daemen's 17 varsity programs. To learn more, visit daemenwildcats.com/gameon.

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