West Chester Men Picked Second in PSAC East Preseason Coaches’ Poll
LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – West Chester University's men's basketball squad was selected second in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Eastern Division coaches' poll, which was revealed Thursday afternoon. The Golden Rams went to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2003 last season, but fell to No. 15 Indiana (Pa.), 75-68, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament's Atlantic Regional. West Chester finished up with an overall record of 20-10, while also showing an 11-5 conference mark. West Chester received one-first place vote in its second-place selection by the coaches' poll for the 2014-15 campaign. Earning a PSAC preseason All-East nod for the Golden Rams was senior Cory Blake (West Chester, Pa / Rustin), who averaged 11.2 points per game and 6.8 rebounds in 28 games last season. Blake's efforts in the 2013-14 season landed him an All-PSAC East second team citation. The favorite and number one seed in the preseason polls was defending PSAC champion East Stroudsburg, who received eight-first place votes by the league's head coaches. West Chester lost to East Stroudsburg, 92-80, in the PSAC championship game last season. Returning for the Warriors are Whis Grant, Matt Tobin, and Rasheed Moore, who were all named PSAC preseason All-East players. The Eastern Division preseason rankings after West Chester were Lock Haven, Bloomsburg, Kutztown, Millersville, Mansfield, Shippensburg and Cheyney, respectively. In the Western Division, the projected winner was Gannon with six first-place votes. The Golden Knights return Adam Blazek, Raphell Thomas-Edwards, and A'Darius Porter, who were all nominated for the preseason All-PSAC West squad. Behind Gannon in second place was IUP, who totaled three-first place votes. Leading the Crimson Hawks is junior guard Devante Chance, who averaged 10.9 points per game. Teams that trailed IUP in the Western preseason rankings were Mercyhurst, Slippery Rock, Pitt-Johnstown, Seton Hill, California, Edinboro and Clarion. West Chester has an exhibition game inside Hollinger Field House against Neumann University on Saturday, Nov. 1 at 5 p.m. The exhibition is also raising money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation at the event with pre-game festivities beginning at 3 p.m. Fans are also encouraged to bring canned goods to help the Chester County Hunger Society. The Golden Rams open their season on the road as they travel to West Virginia for a matchup with West Virginia Wesleyan and Fairmont State on Friday and Saturday, November 14 and 15. Eastern Division Poll 1. East Stroudsburg (8) 2. West Chester (1) 3. Lock Haven 4. Bloomsburg 5. Kutztown 6. Millersville 7. Mansfield 8. Shippensburg 9. Cheyney Preseason All-PSAC East Wali Hepburn, Lock Haven Whis Grant, East Stroudsburg Joe Bell, Mansfield Matt Tobin, East Stroudsburg Cory Blake, West Chester Western Division Poll 1. Gannon (6) 2. Indiana, Pa. (3) 3. Mercyhurst 4. Slippery Rock 5. Pitt---Johnstown 6. Seton Hill 7. California, Pa. 8. Edinboro 9. Clarion Preseason All-PSAC West Adam Blazek, Gannon Raphell Thomas-Edwards, Gannon A'Darius Porter, Gannon Devante Chance, IUP Kameron Taylor, Seton Hill Ian Vescovi, Pitt-Johnstown
