Division II Bulletin: Men's Basketball Picked #7

NORTH ANDOVER, MA – In the Division II Bulletin men’s basketball preseason poll, the Merrimack men’s basketball team has been picked in the seventh slot with Bulletin preseason honorable mention, Darren Duncan (Briarwood, NY) leading the way for the Warriors.

Head Coach Bert Hammel returns three starters to his lineup, including All-Conference and 1,000-point scorers Duncan and junior Darin Mency (Hagerstown, MD). The duo looks to get the Warriors back into national contention following a 21-9 record and run to the NCAA tournament this past spring.

Following an exhibition game against the Big East’s Providence College on October 31, Merrimack will take on conference-rival, #10 Bentley on November 18 at home. With a non-conference game to follow, Merrimack will travel to play #19 Philadelphia University and honorable mentions Russell Frederick and Malcolm Ingram on Saturday, November 21.

Reigning Division II national champion, Findlay University is picked to finish second behind BYU-Hawaii, who has been ranked No. 1 for the first time in the Bulletin preseason poll.


Division II Bulletin

Top 25
1. BYU-Hawaii
2. Findlay
3. Southwest Baptist
4. Cal Poly Pomona
5. Bellarmine
6. Tusculum
7. Merrimack
8. Augusta State
9. Florida Southern
10. Bentley
11. Valdosta State
12. Southwest State
13. Metro State
14. Central Missouri
15. Winona State
16. Kutztown
17. Central Oklahoma
18. Grand Valley State
19. Philadelphia
20. Northern Kentucky
21. Delta State
22. Rollins
23. Johnson C. Smith
24. West Virginia State
25. Incarnate Word

Others to watch
Barton, Cal State-San Bernardino, Catawba, Christian Brothers, Claflin, Dallas Baptist, Fort Hays State, Gannon, Massachusetts-Lowell, New Mexico Highlands, Seattle Pacific, Southern Indiana, Tarleton State, USC-Aiken, Virginia Union

Preseason Player of the Year
Matt Rogers, Southwest Baptist

All-Americans
Super 16
Lucas Alves, BYU-Hawaii
Drake Beranek, Nebraska-Kearney
Brandon Brown, Cal State-San Bernardino
Tyrone Curnell, Valdosta State
Stephen Dennis, Kutztown
James Dillard, Johnson C. Smith
Kendrick Easley, Mount Olive
Lawrence Ekperigan, Le Moyne
Aaron Hill, Rockhurst
Jason Jones, Northeastern State
Justin Keenan, Ferris State
Kyle Moore, Tusculum
Travis Nelson, Minnesota State-Mankato
Matt Rogers, Southwest Baptist
Jason Westrol, Bentley
Nick Wolf, Rollins

Honorable Mention
Roman Andrade, New Mexico Highlands
Virgil Buensuceso, BYU-Hawaii
Pierce Caldwell, Incarnate Word
Darren Duncan, Merrimack
L.J. Dunn, Barton
Terrell Eargle, Alderson-Broaddus
Russell Frederick, Philadelphia
Chris Hall, Lynn
Brandon Hopf, Oakland City
Antonio Houston, Catawba
Malcolm Ingram, Philadelphia
David Johnson, Winona State
Ben Madgen, Augusta Sta te
Marcus Parker, Findlay
Corey Pelle, West Liberty
Martez Scott, Ft. Valley State
David Seagers, Dowling
Jamar Smith, Southern Indiana
Brian Sykora, Minn.-Duluth
Sanijay Watts, Central Missouri
Jonathan Whitson, Brevard