Ithaca Favored in Preseason Men's Basketball Poll
November 10, 2008
ROCHESTER, NY – Ithaca College, which earned the top seed in last year’s conference tournament, was selected to finish first in the Empire 8 Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll. In addition to the regular season title, the Bombers won 17 games last season, their highest win total since the 1999-2000 season.
The Bombers, who received seven first-place votes, are led by senior two-time first-team all-conference players Sean Burton and Jeff Bostic. Burton, the reigning Empire 8 Player of the Year, is a preseason All-American after earning second-team All-American honors from the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) at the conclusion of last season. He led Ithaca in six categories and was the top three-point shooter in the conference. Bostic paced the conference in rebounding, while averaging nearly 14 points and 12 boards per game last season.
Defending Empire 8 champion Nazareth College received one first-place vote and is the coaches’ choice to finish second this season. Junior point guard Corey McAdam joined Burton on the NABC Division III first-team all-district squad. The first-team all-conference player and 2007 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year finished second in Division III in assists last season, averaging 8.7 per game with a school-record 244 assists.
Utica College, which also received one first-place vote, is the coaches’ selection to place third this year under the direction of new head coach and former Elmira College head coach Chris Connolly. The Pioneers missed last year’s conference tournament, but won eight of their final 10 games, including a win over each of the top four teams in the conference. Senior guard Doug Herring is a two-time first-team all-conference performer who averaged 18.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game a year ago.
St. John Fisher College, which advanced to the Empire 8 title game last season in search of its sixth consecutive conference title, was chosen by the coaches to earn the fourth and final spot in the conference tournament, the same spot it occupied last year. The Cardinals advanced to the semifinals of the ECAC Upstate Men’s Basketball Championship last season. Sophomore Ozell Franklin shared the Empire 8 Rookie of the Year honor in 2008.
Stevens Institute of Technology, guided by new coach Bobby Hurley, is predicted to finish fifth this season. Senior guard Virgil Gray earned second-team all-conference honors last season as the Ducks shared the regular season title with Ithaca in their first season in the conference.
Rochester Institute of Technology is the coaches’ selection to finish sixth. Senior center Mark Carson earned second-team all-conference recognition last season, while sophomore Shane Foster shared the Empire 8 Rookie of the Year honor.
The coaches chose Hartwick College to finish seventh in conference play. Senior guard Jan Cocozziello, the conference’s leading scorer overall and in conference play last season, has earned second-team all-conference recognition each of the past two years.
Elmira College and Alfred University were picked in the poll to finish eighth and ninth, respectively, with each being led by a new head coach. Randie Torgalski takes over the helm for the Soaring Eagles, who return leading scorer David Nelson. The junior poured in 30 points in a game against Ithaca last season. Former Williams College assistant Dale Wellman takes over at Alfred University, which returns forward Pat Smithgall, one of the top rebounders in Division III as a freshman in 2006-07 before missing all of last season with a knee injury.
2008 Empire 8 Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Ithaca College (7 first-place votes) 63 points
2. Nazareth College (1) 56
3. Utica College (1) 48
4. St. John Fisher College 41
5. Stevens Institute of Technology 36
6. Rochester Institute of Technology 35
7. Hartwick College 20
8. Elmira College 16
9. Alfred University 9
2007-2008 Empire 8 NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Results
First round: Rhode Island College 77, Nazareth 73
2007-2008 Empire 8 ECAC Championship Results
Quarterfinals: Stevens 73, Staten Island 47; St. John Fisher 68, Vassar 65
Semifinals: Stevens 83, Brooklyn 74; Brockport 81, St. John Fisher 80
Finals: Stevens 82, York 54