ATTLEBORO, Mass. – Defending Champion Becker College has been ranked first by the conference coaches in the 2017-18 Men's Basketball preseason poll. The 2016-17 NECC Coach of the Year, Brian Gorman, is back on the sidelines, and the 2016-17 Player of the Year, senior Samuel Durodola (Sr., F, Rosedale, N.Y.), is also returning for the Hawks. Durodola is coming off a junior campaign in which he led the conference in field goal percentage, with 60.1, rebounds with 180, while also landing second in the conference with 22 points per game in NECC play. Junior Kareem Davis (Jr., G, Lowell, Mass.) will also look to make an impact for the Hawks, after a season where he earned Second Team All-Conference honors, and was also named the NECC Tournament MVP.
Coming in at the second spot is Southern Vermont College, who reached the NECC Championship in 2016-17, before falling to Becker. The Mountaineers are led by returning Third-Team All-Conference member Mike Pierre (Jr., G, Melrose, N.Y.), who averaged 16.2 points per game in 2016-17, and the 2014-15 Rookie of the Year, Daemond Carter (Sr., G, Forestville, Md.).
Lesley University nabs the third spot. The Lynx are looking to returning Second Team All-Conference member Xeo Golding (Jr., F, Windermere, Fla.), who averaged 14.5 points per game in 2016-17, to have a strong year.
Mitchell College take the fourth spot, as the Mariners are led by the 2015-16 Rookie of the Year, and 2016-17 Third Team All-Conference honoree, Domenico Santiago (So., F/C, Port St. Lucie, Fla.). Santiago averaged 11.1 rebounds per game for the Mariners in 2016-17.
In its first year as a full NECC member, Dean College was voted into the fifth spot. The Bulldogs are led by an experienced head coach in Rico Cabral, and will look to make waves in their first year of NECC competition.
Elms College, Newbury College and Wheelock College round out the 2017-18 Preseason Coaches Poll.
2017-18 Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
- Becker – 53 (4)
- Southern Vermont- 50 (3)
- Lesley -43
- Mitchell - 41 (1)
- Dean- 27
- Elms- 24
- Newbury- 22
- Wheelock- 20