2013-14 ESU Quick Facts (PDF)

EAST STROUDSBURG - East Stroudsburg University is one of two PSAC schools that received votes in the NABC (National Association of Basketball Coaches) Division II preseason poll prior to the 2013-14 men's basketball season, the organization released Friday.

ESU, coming off a 22-7 season and its third trip to the NCAA DII Tournament in four years, received four points in the preseason poll.

The Warriors won their second PSAC East title in four years and advanced to their fourth straight PSAC Final Four in 2012-13, continuing the top four-year stretch in school history as they enter their 12th year under head coach Jeff Wilson.

IUP (26-6), the defending PSAC champion, is ranked No. 14 in the preseason poll. The Crimson Hawks were picked as the PSAC West favorite on Wednesday, while ESU was picked second in the PSAC East behind West Chester.

ESU is one of six schools in the Atlantic Region to receive votes in the preseason poll. Four are ranked in the top 25, led by No. 3 West Liberty (34-2), which won its third straight regional title last winter. IUP (14th), Winston-Salem State (21st), Livingstone (24th) and Bowie State (receiving votes) also join ESU in representing the region.

In the last four years, the Warriors have compiled an 82-37 record (.689) for the second-best winning percentage in the PSAC and third-best in the Atlantic Region.

This year's team returns two starters in junior guards Whis Grant and Matt Tobin. Grant, last year's PSAC East Athlete of the Year as a sophomore, was named to the Daktronics and DII Bulletin honorable mention teams, and was named to the DII Bulletin's "Super 16" entering this season.

ESU was ranked as high as No. 9 on February 12 in last year's NABC regular season polls, the highest ranking in school history. The Warriors held a spot in the Top 25 for six straight weeks after also earning a national ranking for six weeks during the 2009-10 season.

The Warriors tip off the 2013-14 season next Saturday with a trip to St. Thomas Aquinas. They open their home schedule with two games the following week, hosting PSU-Lehigh Valley on Tuesday at 7 p.m., and USciences on Thursday at 7 p.m.


NABC Division II Preseason Poll (2012-13 record, points, previous rank)
1. Metropolitan State (Colo.) (10 1st-place votes) - 32-3, 393, 3
2. Seattle Pacific (Wash.) (2) - 27-4, 379, 2
3. West Liberty (W.V.) (2) - 34-2, 355, 1
4. Bellarmine (Ky.) (1) - 24-8, 335, 14
5. Minnesota State - 28-5, 318, 6
6. USC Aiken(1) - 25-8, 288, 20
7. Cal Poly Pomona - 28-3, 282, 5
8. Drury (Mo.) - 31-4, 262, 7
9. Florida Southern - 27-6, 227, 8
10. Western Washington - 31-3, 216, 4
11. Findlay (Ohio) - 22-8, 211, 22
12. Kentucky Wesleyan - 20-8, 202, NR
13. Midwestern State (Texas) - 22-9, 197, NR
14. Indiana (Pa.) - 26-6, 185, 10
15. Lincoln Memorial (Tenn.) - 25-6172, 13
16. Saint Anselm (N.H.) - 23-6, 169, 11
17. Northeastern State (Okla.) - 19-9, 166, NR
18. Southern Indiana - 23-8, 112, 5
19. Alabama-Huntsville - 25-6, 85, 9
20. Winona State (Minn.) - 27-8, 80, NR
21. Winston-Salem State (N.C.) - 21-7, 69, 16
22. Carson-Newman (Tenn.) - 20-8, 61, NR
23. North Alabama - 19-9, 57, NR
24. Livingstone (N.C.) - 22-7, 41, NR
25. Harding (Ark.) - 22-10, 38, NR

Others receiving votes: Christian Brothers (Tenn.) 30, Philadelphia (Pa.) 30, Fort Lewis (Colo.) 27, Augustana (S.D.) 25, Cal State-San Bernardino 20, Montevallo (Ala.) 20, Tarleton State (Texas) 20, Bowie State (Md.) 18, Alaska-Anchorage 16, Franklin Pierce (N.H.) 16, Benedict (S.C.) 15, Dixie State (Utah) 13, Fort Hays State (Kan.) 12, Arkansas Tech 8, Alderson-Broaddus (W.Va.) 7, Anderson (S.C.) 5, New Haven (Conn.) 5, East Stroudsburg (Pa.) 4, Florida Tech 4, Stillman (Ala.) 3, Bridgeport (Conn.) 1. St. Cloud State (Minn.) 1.