PITMAN--Richard Stockton College has been selected as the favorite to win the 2009-10 New Jersey Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Championship in a preseason poll of the league’s ten head coaches. The two-time defending NJAC Champion and 2008-09 National Runner-up Ospreys will be seeking their seventh conference crown since 1986-87.

 
The Ospreys were selected to win the NJAC South Division and received a league-high seven overall champion votes. Stockton finished the 2008-09 season with a 30-3 overall record and captured the NJAC South Division Championship with a 12-1 league mark. The Ospreys then captured their second consecutive conference crown with NJAC Tournament victories over William Paterson and Rutgers-Newark. Stockton garners NCAA Tournament wins over Rensselaer, Gwynedd Mercy, St. Lawrence, Farmingdale State, and Franklin & Marshall, before falling to eventual Division III Champion Washington-St. Louis in the National Championship Game. With their NCAA run in 2008-09, Stockton became the 12th NJAC men’s basketball team to reach the NCAA Division III Final Four, and the first since 2000-01. Led by 2008-09 NJAC Coach of the Year Gerry Matthews, the Ospreys have produced a 457-189 overall record during his 23 seasons in Pomona. Stockton returns four all-conference players from its National Runner-up team including the NJAC Player of the Year in senior guard Santini Lancioni, and the NJAC Defensive Player of the Year in junior guard Kai Massaqoi. In addition, the Ospreys return all-league performers in junior guard Michael Farrow and senior forward Omar Smith.

  
William Paterson University, which advanced to the NJAC Tournament semifinals in 2008-09 en route to 20-7 overall record, was selected to win the North Division and received two first place votes. Led by 15th-year head coach Jose Rebimbas, the Pioneers have produced a 277-128 overall record during his tenure in Wayne.

Montclair State University, which captured the 2008-09 NJAC North Division Championship via an 11-2 conference record, was selected to place second in the North and received one overall champion vote. The Red Hawks produced a 21-7 overall record in 2008-09, advancing to the semifinals of both the NJAC and ECAC Metro Tournaments. Under the leadership of 12th-year head coach Ted Fiore, MSU has produced a 171-104 overall record, improving Fiore’s career coaching mark to 322-214.

 

Kean University, under the leadership of third-year head coach Rob Kurzinsky, was selected to place second in the South Division. The Cougars have earned 21 wins along with NJAC Tournament berths in each of Kurzinsky’s first two seasons. Kean returns one all-conference player from a squad that finished 12-14 overall in 2008-09 in junior forward Jonathan Jones.

Rutgers-Newark, which advanced to the NJAC Championship Game in 2008-09 en route to a 17-13 overall record, was selected to place third in the North Division. The Scarlet Raiders produced NJAC Tournament victories over TCNJ and Montclair State before advancing to the semifinals of the ECAC Metro Tournament. Under ninth-year head coach Joe Loughran, Newark has produced an overall record of 113-104. The Scarlet Raiders return one all-conference player from their 2008-09 NJAC Runner-up squad in senior forward Deshawn Singleton.

 

The College of New Jersey, led by second-year head coach Kelly Williams, was selected to place third in the South Division. The Lions produced a 10-15 overall record during Williams’ rookie season, earning a NJAC Tournament berth with a second place finish in the South Division. TCNJ returns one all-conference player from its 2008-09 squad in senor guard Jay Frank.

 

The coaches’ dark horse selection, Ramao College was selected to finish fourth in the North Division. The Roadrunners are led by 12th year head coach Chuck McBreen, who has guided Ramapo to an overall record of 200-101 during his tenure, including a mark of 14-11 in 2008-09.

 

Rowan University, under the leadership of 14th-year head coach Joe Cassidy, was selected to place fourth in the South Division. Under Cassidy, Rowan has produced a 242-102 record, including a mark of 12-13 in 2008-09. The Profs return one all-conference performer from their 2008-09 squad in senior forward Tyson Harnett.

 

New Jersey City University was selected to place fifth in the North Division. The Gothic Knights have produced 24 victories under head coach Marc Brown, including a record of 10-15 in 2008-09.

 

Rutgers University-Camden, led by fourth-year head coach Brian Wischusen, was selected to place fifth in the South Division. The Scarlet Raptors finished 6-19 during the 2008-09 season.

The 53rd season of NJAC men’s basketball will tip-off on Sunday, November 15 with Richard Stockton and TCNJ in non-conference action. Conference play will begin 17 days later with four league games on Wednesday, December 2. The top three regular season finishers in each division will advance to the 2009-10 NJAC Championship Tournament.

First round NJAC Tournament games on Saturday, February 20 will feature the second-place finisher in the North Division hosting the third place finisher in the South Division, and the second place finisher in the South Division hosting the third place finisher in the North Division.

 

Those first round winners will advance to face the first place finishers in the North and South Divisions respectively in the tournament semifinals on Wednesday, February 24. The two semifinal winners will advance to the 2009-10 NJAC Championship Game on Saturday, February 27, to be contested at the site of the highest remaining seed.

 
The NJAC Tournament Champion receives the conference’s automatic qualification to the NCAA
Division III National Championship Tournament.

 

2009-10 NJAC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
North Division
1.	William Paterson (2)
2.	Montclair State (1)
3.	Rutgers-Newark
4.	Ramapo (dark horse)
5.	New Jersey City
South Division
1.	Richard Stockton (7)
2.	Kean
3.	The College of NJ
4.	Rowan
5.	Rutgers-Camden
Overall Champion Votes In Parentheses