AMCC Basketball Preseason Poll

2010-11 MEN'S BASKETBALL
PRESEASON COACHES' POLL

PITT-BRADFORD PICKED TO TOP AMCC
IN MEN'S BASKETBALL

Pitt-Bradford, runners up in the past two championship games, are poised to win it all this season according to the AMCC coaches' poll. The Panthers got 5 of 10 first place votes, and will be looking to add a third conference trophy to their case. Three-time league champion Penn State Behrend was right behind UPB in the balloting, while two-time defending champion Medaille College was selected to finish third.

Sharing the Preseason Player of the Year designation are Penn St. Behrend senior forward Chris Saltzman (Pittsburgh, PA/Central Catholic), left, and Medaille senior forward Ron Malicki (Machias, NY/Pioneer), right. Saltzman was a first team all-conference player last season, averaging 14.8 ppg. He was named MVP of the 2010 ECAC South championship tournament, won by Behrend. Malicki recorded 13.4 ppg and 5.1 rpg last season, shooting 51% from the field. He turned it up in the post-season, averaging 17.5 ppg in AMCC play-offs and 21.5 ppg in two NCAA tournament games.

The AMCC kicks off conference play on Wednesday, December 1, and the championship will be Saturday, February 26, hosted by the number #1 seed. The tournament winner will receive the AMCC's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

AMCC MEN'S BASKETBALL POLL
Preseason Rankings*

1. Pitt-Bradford (2)
2. Penn St. Behrend (3)
3. Medaille (1)
4. La Roche (T-6)
5. Penn St. Altoona (T-6)
6. Mount Aloysius (5)
7. Pitt-Greensburg (T-6)
8. Franciscan (8)
9, D'Youville (10)
10. Hilbert (11)

* Number in parentheses is order of regular season finish in 2010

Preseason Co-Players of the Year
CHRIS SALTZMAN - PENN ST. BEHREND
RON MALICKI - MEDAILLE COLLEGE

D'YOUVILLE COLLEGE Head Coach Glen Taplin (2nd year) 2009-10: 3-17 AMCC, 5-20 overall
Junior G Greg Osika (Depew, NY/Depew)...Led the conference with 3.0 spg last season, and was ranked in the top ten nationally in Div. III...also averaged 3.0 apg. Sophomore G Eric Baylor (Buffalo, NY/Riverside)...No information available.
FRANCISCAN UNIVERSITY Head Coach Sean Donovan (5th year) 2009-10: 5-15 AMCC, 7-18 overall
Senior G/F Connor Flanagan (Richfield, OH/St. Ignatius of Loyola)...Three-year captain...averaged 12 points and 5.3 rebounds last season. Senior G Thomas Kleinschnitz (Clermont, FL/South Lake)...Averaged 12.4 points, 5.2 rebounds in 2009-10.
HILBERT COLLEGE Head Coach Rob deGrandpre (9th year) 2009-10: 2-18 AMCC, 3-22 overall
Sophomore F Roman Brown (Buffalo, NY/South Park)...Averaged 12.7 ppg and 6.8 rpg, third best in the AMCC in 2010...converted 96 FTs while making 18 starts in rookie season. Sophomore F Chris Parrott (Warsaw, NY/Warsaw)...Inside-out threat that averaged 11.8ppg and 5.6 rpg last year...drained a team-best 37 3FG...typically assigned to an opponent's most dangerous offensive threat.
LA ROCHE COLLEGE Head Coach Scott Lang (13th year) 2009-10: 10-10 AMCC, 13-12 overall
Senior G Nate Wojciechowski (Pittsburgh, PA/South Allegheny)...Missed 10 games with a broken foot in 2009-10...started 15 games and averaged 11.0 ppg and 28 minutes of playing time. Senior G Laron Mann (Accokeek, MD/Gwynn Park)...Started 23 of 25 games last season...ranked first on the team in assists (2.1 apg) and steals (1.3 spg).
MEDAILLE COLLEGE Head Coach Mike MacDonald (4th Year) 2009-10: 16-4 AMCC, 23-5 overall
Senior F Ron Malicki (Machias, NY/Pioneer)...Averaged 13.4 ppg and 5.1 rpg last season...shot 77% from the free throw line and 51% from the field...averaged 17.5 ppg in AMCC play-offs and 21.5 ppg in two NCAA tournament games. Senior G Ricky Reed (Henrietta, NY/Rush-Henrietta)...Averaged 11. 2 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 1.8 apg...scored 23 points in the AMCC championship game and averaged 15.5 ppg in the conference playoffs...also contributed 10.0 ppg in 2 NCAA tournament games.
MOUNT ALOYSIUS COLLEGE Head Coach Lance Loya (8th year) 2009-10: 12-8 AMCC, 14-2 overall
Senior G Joey Stephenson (Johnstown, PA/Westmont Hilltop)...Averaged 8.4 ppg and made 51 three-point field goals in 2009-10, ranking fifth in the AMCC in three-point field goals made...2009 Mount Aloysius Student-Athlete of the Year
PENN STATE ALTOONA Head Coach Billy Clapper (2nd year) 2009-10: 10-10 AMCC, 12-14 overall
Senior G/F Kirk Peters (Harrisburg, PA/Susquehanna Township)...First team all-AMCC and second team all-region selection for ECAC and D3Hoops.com in 2010...contributed 9.0 ppg, 5.6 rpg and 50.4 FG % last season. Junior F Jay D Adamsky (McMurray, PA/Peters Township)...Averaged 8.1 ppg and 6.8 rpg last season...shot 55.5% from the field.
PENN STATE BEHREND Head Coach Dave Niland (17th year) 2009-10: 14-6 AMCC, 22-8 overall
Senior F Chris Saltzman (Pittsburgh, PA/Central Catholic)...First team all-conference last season...averaged 14.8 ppg...named MVP of ECAC South championship tournament, won by Behrend. Senior G Justin Kovac (Venetia, PA/Peters Township)...Second team all-AMCC...led the nation in Division III with a 4.5 assist/turnover ratio (4.3 apg against just 1.0 tpg)...second best free throw shooter in the league last season at 83.8%.
PITT-BRADFORD Head Coach Andy Moore (18th year) 2009-10: 15-5 AMCC, 17-12 overall
Senior G Dan Heisey (Rexville, NY/Whiteville)...Second team all-conference selection in 2010...recorded 14.4 ppg...43.5% accuracy from three-point range. Junior F Sam Moore (Olean, NY/Olean)...Named to the All-AMCC third team...averaged 12.8 ppg and 6.5 rpg...shot 41% from behind the arc.
PITT-GREENSBURG Head Coach Sean Strickland (1st year) 2009-10: 10-10 AMCC, 12-14 overall
Sophomore C David Palmer (Pittsburgh, PA/Westinghouse)...In his rookie campaign last year averaged 13.6 ppg (13^th in league)...leading rebounder in the league with 9.6 rpg...also ranked 3rd with 1.0 bpg and 7th with a 55% field goal percentage. Senior G Josh Kucenic (Lansdale, PA/North Penn)...On pace to be the sixth 1,000 point scorer in school history...averaged 9.7 ppg last season, and led the team with 33 steals.