Troy University Athletics
Trojans Picked 2nd in Preseason Poll
10/27/2009 2:15:00 PM | Basketball (M)
NEW ORLEANS – Troy was picked second in the Sun Belt's East division and three players were named to the preseason all-conference team by the league's coaches on Tuesday morning.
Troy received 62 points, along with one first place vote, enough to rank the team second in its division behind last season's champion Western Kentucky. The second-place preseason ranking is the highest for the Trojans in their four-plus years as a member of the Sun Belt Conference.
North Texas was picked to finish first in the league's West division.
“It was the right thing for the coaches to do,” head coach Don Maestri said. “With the three all-conference players we have coming back, it is reasonable for us to be predicted to have success.”
Troy returns four starters from a squad that won 19 games a season ago and returns nine players overall with league experience.
“The success from last season does not guarantee us anything for this year, but it does create high expectations and give us hope,” Maestri said. “Looking at what we have coming back it is expected for other people to have high expectations for our team.”
Also announced on Tuesday morning was the league's preseason All-Sun Belt team. Senior guard Brandon Hazzard (Atlanta, Ga.) was voted to the first team, while senior swingman Richard Delk (Jackson, Tenn.) was honored on the second team and point guard Michael Vogler (Lynn Haven, Fla.) was picked for the third team, respectively.
“It is a sign of great respect from the coaches in our league for our three players [to be voted all-conference],” Maestri said. “You cannot vote for your own players, so all the votes came from other coaches. That shows those three have earned respect.”
“Now they have to go out and prove themselves again and prove those coaches right.”
The league also announced its 2009-10 Sun Belt Network television package. The Trojans' February 13 home game with FIU will be shown regionally on CSS and CST.
The Trojans kick-off their on November 14 at home against Piedmont. Season and single-game tickets are still available. For more information call 1-877-878-WINS.
2009 Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
1. WKU (12 first place votes) 77 points
2. Troy (1 first place vote) 62 points
3. Middle Tennessee 53 points
4. South Alabama 40 points
5. Florida Atlantic 21 points
6. FIU 20 points
1. North Texas (9 first place votes) 85 points
2. Denver (1 first place vote) 73 points
3. Louisiana-Lafayette (1 first place vote) 56 points
4. UALR (1 first place vote) 53 points
5. Louisiana-Monroe (1 first place vote) 45 points
6. Arkansas State 36 points
7. New Orleans 17 points
2009 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Men's Basketball
First Team
Nate Rohnert, Denver
Desmond Yates, Middle Tennessee
Eric Tramiel, North Texas
Brandon Hazzard, Troy
A.J. Slaughter, WKU
Second Team
Chris Gradnigo, Louisiana-Lafayette
Josh White, North Texas
Richard Delk, Troy
Sergio Kerusch, WKU
Steffphon Pettigrew, WKU
Third Team
Donald Boone, Arkansas State
Tony Hooper, Louisiana-Monroe
Malcolm Thomas, Louisiana-Monroe
Michael Vogler, Troy
Jeremy Evans, WKU
Preseason Player of the Year – AJ Slaughter, WKU
