NEW HAVEN, CT -- Caldwell College and Philadelphia University have been selected to win their respective divisions for the second consecutive season according to the 2008-09 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll, which was released today. The conference's 12  head coaches conducted the voting. Philadelphia was predicted to win the Southern Division after garnering 11 of the 12 first-place votes, while Caldwell was picked first on five ballots to top the North Division.

Philadelphia won the CACC Tournament Championship last season after going 16-0 in conference play and 22-12 overall. The championship game was an instant classic, as Philadelphia upended Holy Family in double overtime by the score of 73-67. The following week, Philadelphia was on the wrong end of another overtime contest in the first round of the NCAA Division II Regional Tournament, falling 85-75 in a four-overtime thriller against The College of Saint Rose. Philadelphia welcomes back four starters from that squad, including 2007-08 first team All-CACC selection, junior forward Malcolm Ingram. Ingram was selected as a preseason Second Team All-American by Street and Smith's after averaging 17.0 points and 8.4 rebounds per-game last season. The Rams are ranked 18th according to the Basketball Times Preseason Top 25 poll and 25th in the Division II Bulletin Preseason Poll.

 Caldwell was picked first in the North Division after going 12-17 overall last year and 9-7 in conference play. Senior forward Manny Perez leads the list of returning players after earning second team All-CACC accolades last season. He averaged 14.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per-game while shooting 54.6-percent from the field. Also back is junior forward Sam Cricelli, who contributed 8.0 points and 6.1 rebounds per-game last season.

Goldey-Beacom College picked up one first-place vote to finish second in the South Division poll with 56 points. The Lightning return four starters, including Adrian Miles, who was an All-CACC Honorable Mention pick last season after averaging 14.3 points and 4.6 rebounds per-game. Also back is forward Sam McDuffie, who contributed 10.7 points and 4.0 rebounds per-game for a Lightning squad that went 16-12 overall and 8-8 in the CACC last year.

Holy Family University was picked third in the South with 48 points, and was followed by University of the Sciences in Philadelphia (35), Chestnut Hill College (22) and Wilmington University (21).

A year after claiming the North Division regular-season title, Post University was just behind Caldwell with 56 points to finish second in the North. Four Eagles who started at least 20 games will be back this season, including 2007-08 All-CACC Honorable Mention pick, senior forward AJ Reitter. Reitter averaged 15.4 points and 5.0 rebounds per-game last season. Also back is sophomore point guard Garvin McAlister, who chipped in 6.8 points and 2.6 assists per-game.

Bloomfield collected two first-place votes and was picked third in the North Division with 50 points. Dominican was next with 42 points, including one first-place nod. Felician (29) and Nyack (14) round out the North Division Poll.  Forward Devon Young, the 2007-08 CACC Rookie of the Year, will be back to lead Felician after averaging 16.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per-game as a freshman last season.

The regular-season begins on Nov. 14 with Nyack and Chestnut Hill in action, while the first conference games will take place on Dec. 2 when Felician visits Caldwell and Dominican travels to Bloomfield.

 The 2008-09 CACC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll is below.

 

North Division
School	2007-08 Records	Points
1. Caldwell (5)	12-17/9-7 CACC	61
2. Post (4)	14-15/10-6	56
3. Bloomfield (2)	16-16/6-10	50
4. Dominican (1)	13-15/8-8	42
5. Felician	10-17/4-12	29
6. Nyack	11-16/6-10	14
()-First Place Votes

 

South Division
School	2007-08 Records	Points
1. Philadelphia (11)	22-12/16-0 CACC	70
2. Goldey-Beacom (1)	16-12/8-8	56
3. Holy Family	21-10/12-4	48
4. USP	13-15/7-9	35
5. Chestnut Hill	6-21/4-12	22
6. Wilmington	10-16/6-10	21
()-First Place Votes