Staff Reports Niagara Gazette The Niagara Gazette Wed Oct 26, 2011, 12:12 AM EDT
NIAGARA FALLS — The Niagara men’s basketball team was slotted seventh in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference preseason coaches poll released Tuesday, while the Niagara women’s team was picked to finish last in the 10-team league.
Iona has been installed as the preseason favorite in the MAAC, gaining eight of 10 first-place votes in the men’s coaches poll. Gaels forward Mike Glover was selected as preseason player of the year. Fairfield received the other two first-place votes, and placed second in the poll.
Loyola, Rider, Saint Peter’s and Siena were picked to finish ahead of Niagara this season, while the Purple Eagles were voted higher than Manhattan, Canisius and Marist.
Niagara returns five rotation players, including all-rookie team guard Marvin Jordan, and two redshirt freshmen from last year’s team that went 9-23, the program’s worst performance in 12 years under coach Joe Mihalich. The Purple Eagles graduated second-team all-conference point guard Anthony Nelson, and are left with no seniors after leading rebounder Kashief Edwards transferred to Northeastern.
• The Niagara women’s team fared even worse in 2010-11, going 1-29 and winless against MAAC competition despite getting a third-team all-conference effort from senior Liz Flooks. Part of the Purple Eagles’ struggles last season were due to an early season-ending knee injury to point guard Kayla Stroman, who was selected to the preseason all-MAAC third team Tuesday.
The Marist women’s team was a unanimous pick to win its seventh straight MAAC title. Red Foxes guard Corielle Yarde was selected as the preseason player of the year. Slotted between Marist and Niagara in the coaches poll are: Loyola, Fairfield, Manhattan, Iona, Canisius, Siena, Saint Peter’s and Rider.
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