WLU Men Ranked No. 7 in D2SIDA Preseason Poll

WILMINGTON, Del. – The West Liberty University men’s basketball team checked in at No. 7 on Wednesday when the Division II Sports Information Directors of America (D2SIDA) released its annual NCAA Division II Preseason Top 25 Media Poll.

   It’s the second lofty national ranking for Coach Ben Howlett’s defending NCAA Division II Atlantic Region championship squad as the veteran-laden Hilltoppers were ranked No. 14 in the annual preseason poll conducted by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC).

   Northwest Missouri State, which ended West Liberty’s postseason run in the 2021 NCAA Division II Elite Eight national quarterfinals, was a unanimous pick for No. 1 with Flagler (Fla.), West Texas A&M, Lubbock (Texas) Christian and Hillsdale (Mich.) rounding out the top five. The Hilltoppers defeated Hillsdale, 78-61, in the Atlantic Region championship game this past March.

   Indiana (Pa.), which played just an abbreviated 3-game schedule in 2020-21 due to the pandemic, edged out West Liberty for the No. 6 spot in the voting. Valdosta State (Ga.) was No. 8 followed by Nova Southeastern (Fla.) and Colorado Mesa.

   Defending Mountain East Conference Tournament champion Fairmont State is ranked No. 23 with the University of Charleston, which fell to WLU in the Atlantic Region semifinals, among teams also receiving votes on multiple ballots.

   The D2SIDA Media Poll is conducted by a nationwide panel of NCAA Division II sports information directors with equal representation from each of the eight NCAA Division II regions. The first regular season D2SIDA Media Poll will be released on Nov. 17.

   West Liberty tips off the 2021-22 season at home next week in an Atlantic Region Crossover event. The Hilltoppers will take on Winston-Salem (N.C.) State in a 5:30 p.m. game on Nov. 12 before meeting Shippensburg (Pa.) in a 6 p.m. tilt on Nov. 13.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

D2SIDA National Media Poll

 (November 23, 2020)

Team (FPV)                                                Rec         Pts

 1. NW Missouri State (15)                        375       29-2

 2. Flagler                                                       334       18-3

 3. West Texas A&M                                    314       19-3

 4. Lubbock Christian                                  298       18-3

  5. Hillsdale                                                   293       21-3

 6. Indiana (Pa.)                                            252         2-1

 7. WEST LIBERTY                                        239       18-5

 8. Valdosta State                                         228       17-5

 9. Nova Southeastern                                226       DNP

10. Colorado Mesa                                       212       21-2

11. Washburn                                                210       20-7

12. St. Thomas Aquinas                               202       14-2

13. Point Loma                                              196         8-3

14. Queens (N.C.)                                         191       16-6

15. Truman State                                          189       20-3

16. Saint Anselm                                           168       DNP

17. Colorado School of Mines                    140       18-2

18. Southern Indiana                                   139       12-5

19. Lincoln Memorial                                   138       19-4

20. Seattle Pacific                                           87       10-3

21. Mercyhurst                                                78       12-1

22. Lee                                                               61       15-6

23. FAIRMONT STATE                                    55       15-5

24. Daemen                                                      47       10-6

25. Minnesota State-Moorhead                  38       11-5

      Others Receiving Votes (on multiple ballots): Dallas Baptist 35; Northern State 25; Alabama-Huntsville 19; Chico State 18; Findlay 16;CHARLESTON 11;Ashland 11; Florida Southern 8; Oklahoma Baptist 6; Emmanuel 6


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