Sischo Named ECC Preseason Player of the Year For Third Time

1/8/2021 1:25:00 PM

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

AMHERST, N.Y. - Redshirt-senior center Andrew Sischo (Guilderland, N.Y.) of Daemen College has been named the East Coast Conference Men's Basketball Preseason Player of the Year for the third time in his career. The news comes as Sischo and his Daemen teammates prepare for a shortened 2020-21 season brought about by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Sischo has put together one of the most storied careers in Daemen and ECC history. In 89 games, the 6-foot-9 Sischo has totaled 1,820 points (20.4 ppg) and 906 rebounds (10.2 rpg) while shooting 60.3% from the field. Already Daemen's all-time leader in field goals (722), Sischo ranks fourth in program history for both scoring and rebounding, and he has a chance to become Daemen's first 2,000-point, 1,000-rebound player. He also ranks fourth in field goals and ninth in rebounding among the ECC's all-time leaders, and is on the cusp of breaking into the conference's top-10 scorers.

Last season was Sischo's finest to date as he dominated opponents en route to All-American honors from both the Division II Conference Commissioner's Association and National Association of Basketball Coaches. He averaged 24.9 points and 11.7 rebounds per game while shooting 64.5 from the field - the first Division II player since the 2010-11 season to put up those numbers. He set Daemen and ECC single-season records for points (773) and field goals (298), and also led Division II in rebounds (362) and double-doubles (22).

In each of the last two seasons, Sischo went on to validate his Preseason Player of the Year selection by being named not just the ECC Player of the Year, but also the NCAA Division II East Region Player of the Year. He also garnered Preseason All-American honors last October from Basketball Times, a monthly print publication that's covered college basketball since 1980. Sischo's dominance has helped Daemen go 70-22 and earn two NCAA tournament berths in the last three seasons.

Sischo and the Wildcats are slated to begin the season next Saturday, January 16 with a non-conference contest at Mercyhurst. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m.

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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