Men’s Basketball Tabbed Ninth in OAC Preseason Poll

(AUSTINTOWN, OH)—Mount Union's men's basketball team is ranked ninth in the Ohio Athletic Conference coaches' preseason poll.

The Purple Raiders are one-point shy of eighth place Otterbein (21 points) and eight points ahead of 10th place Muskingum. 

Defending OAC champion and preseason No. 2 in the nation  John Carroll headlines the poll with nine first place votes.

Two starters and five letterwinners return for head coach Lee Hood in his 18th season at Mount Union.  Among those being returning leading scorer David Pellerite (Olmstead Falls/Olmstead Falls) with 15.3 ppg.

“Our team is not focused on polls and rankings,” stated Hood.  “What we are focused on is getting better every day and being prepared to compete each and every game.”

The Raiders play an exhibition game at The University of Akron next Tuesday at 7 pm, before opening the regular season at home against Westminster (PA) College Wed., Nov. 18 at 7:30 pm at The McPherson Academic and Athletic Complex.

OAC Preseason Coaches' Poll

        1.  John Carroll (9) – 81
2.  Wilmington - 62
3.  Ohio Northern - 58
3.  Capital (1) - 58
5.  Marietta - 49
6.  Baldwin-Wallce - 48
7.  Heidelberg - 41
8.  Otterbein - 21
9.  Mount Union - 20
10.  Muskingum - 12

* First place votes in parenthesis