St. John Fisher Favored in Preseason Men's Basketball Poll
November 9, 2007
ROCHESTER, NY – Five-time defending conference champion St. John Fisher College was selected to finish first in the Empire 8 Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll. The Cardinals have reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Championship each of the past three years.
St. John Fisher, which received five first-place votes, is guided by five-time Empire 8 Coach of the Year Rob Kornaker. Senior forward Justin Beigel earned second-team all-conference honors last season when the Cardinals posted a 24-6 overall record, 11-3 in regular season conference play.
Three other teams received first-place votes with Ithaca College and Stevens Institute of Technology tying for second place in the preseason coaches’ poll. The Bombers, who received two first-place votes, return junior guard Sean Burton and junior forward Jeff Bostic, each of whom received first-team all-conference recognition last season.
Stevens, competing in the Empire 8 for the first time, joined St. John Fisher in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Championship last year and enter the season ranked 24th in the D3hoops.com national poll. Senior guard Waleed Farid was recently named to the 2007-08 D3hoops.com Preseason All-America squad. The Ducks finished 23-7 last year under first-year head coach Josh Loeffler and their trip to the NCAA tournament was the first in the program’s history.
Nazareth College, which received the other first-place vote, has been chosen to finish fourth by the conference coaches. Sophomore guard Corey McAdam is the reigning Empire 8 Rookie of the Year and was also selected to the all-conference second team.
Utica College, which has advanced to the conference championship game the past two seasons and took St. John Fisher to overtime in last year’s final, is picked by the coaches to place fifth this season after graduating Empire 8 Player of the Year Ray Bryant.
Rochester Institute of Technology is the coaches’ selection to finish sixth. The Tigers have earned a bid to the ECAC Upstate New York Championship each of the last three years.
The coaches chose Hartwick College to finish seventh in conference play. Junior guard Jan Cocozziello, the league’s top rookie in 2005-06, earned second-team all-conference accolades last season.
Elmira College and Alfred University were picked in the poll to finish eighth and ninth, respectively.
2007 Empire 8 Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. St. John Fisher College (5 first-place votes) 61 points
2. Ithaca College (2) 52
Stevens Institute of Technology (1) 52
4. Nazareth College (1) 44
5. Utica College 40
6. Rochester Institute of Technology 29
7. Hartwick College 23
8. Elmira College 12
9. Alfred University 11
2006-2007 Empire 8 NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Results
First round: St. John Fisher 98, Wentworth 72; Stevens 68, WPI 57
Second round: St. John Fisher 95, Plattsburgh 87; Stevens 69, Ramapo 61
Round of 16: Brockport 105, St. John Fisher 91; Amherst 97, Stevens 74
2006-2007 Empire 8 ECAC Upstate New York Championship Results
Quarterfinals: Ithaca 80, RPI 69; Oswego 74, RIT 63
Semifinals: Vassar 84, Ithaca 76