Men's Basketball

November 8, 2007

NEW HAVEN, Conn.-The Post University men's basketball team was picked to finish second in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) North Division, as the conference announced its Preseason Coaches Poll on Thursday afternoon.

The Eagles, who finished last season with a 17-12 overall record and a 14-6 mark in the CACC received 62 points in the poll conducted by the 12 head coaches in the conference. Post also received four first-place votes, to finish behind only Caldwell, which won the CACC Championship last season. Caldwell received 67 points and seven first-place votes to finish first in the North.

With the addition of Chestnut Hill College to the conference, the CACC has been split into two divisions North and South. Each team will face each other at least once this season, with divisional opponents meeting in home-and-home series.

Last month, the Division II Bulletin picked the Eagles to finish second in the CACC, behind Caldwell and ahead of Philadelphia University.

Post won 12 of its final 15 games of the regular season, earning a share of the CACC Regular Season Championship for the second time in four years. Head Coach Mike Donnelly was named the CACC Coach of the Year, as well.

The Eagles return 11 letter winners and four starters off last year's team, and are led by senior swingman Arthur Robertson who was a third-team All-CACC selection last year, averaging a team-high 13.1 points per game, and 7.0 rebounds per contest, which was seventh in the conference. He enters the season needing 44 points to reach the 1,000-point plateau.

Junior forward AJ Reitter was second on the team in scoring with 11.9 points per game and 4.9 rebounds per game last season. He was selected to the All-CACC honorable mention, along with senior forward Peter Lawal who was third on the team in scoring with 10.6 points a game and second with 6.6 rebounds per contest.

Junior Jesse Iyalekhue averaged 8.4 points per game and 5.2 caroms, and was sixth in the CACC and 70^th in NCAA Division II with 1.48 blocked shots (40 total).

Bloomfield rounded out the top-three in the North with 37 points and the remaining first place vote. Nyack finished fourth in the North with 33 points followed by Dominican with 31 points and Felician with 22.

Philadelphia University was picked to win the South Division with 66 points and seven first-place votes, while Holy Family was second with 63 points and four-first place votes. Goldey-Beacom was third with 50 points and one first-place vote. USP (32 points), Wilmington (28 points), and newcomer Chestnut Hill (13 points) rounded out the South Division.

Post begins the 2007-08 campaign on Thursday, Nov. 15 at Merrimack College. Tip-off is slated for 7:30 p.m. The Eagles will then take part in the Purple Knight Classic at the University of Bridgeport against American International and Bryant College, November 17-18.

The home opener is slated for Tuesday, Nov. 20 against C.W. Post University.

2007 CACC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll

North Division

1.         Caldwell (7)                 67

2.         Post (4)                       62

3.         Bloomfield (1)              37

4.         Nyack                          33

5.         Dominican                   31

6.         Felician                        22

South Division

1.         Philadelphia (7)           66

2.         Holy Family (4)            63

3.         Goldey-Beacom (1)     50

4.         USP                             32

5.         Wilmington                  28

6.         Chestnut Hill                13