Despite losing key players from last year’s teams, the IUP basketball teams are picked No. 1 in the PSAC preseason poll.
Both Crimson Hawks teams will open the season at home the second weekend in November.
From IUP Sports Information
The Crimson Hawks men are coming off a season in which they finished 30-3 with a PSAC tournament championship and a final No. 2 ranking in the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Top 25 poll.
IUP is the overwhelming favorite to repeat with seven of the nine possible first place votes. Slippery Rock follows in second in the voting with Pitt-Johnstown in third after receiving the remaining two first place votes.
Mercyhurst and Cal U round out the top five while Gannon is sixth, Ediboro and Seton Hill are tied for seventh, and Clarion is ninth.
In the Eastern Division, East Stroudsburg is first with four first place votes. Shippensburg (three) is a close second, West Chester (one) is third, Millersville is fourth, and Kutztown (one) is fifth).
The IUP women are one of the most successful programs in Division II over the last two seasons.
The Crimson Hawks, who are coming off a PSAC West regular season title, conference and regional championships and a Division II national semifinalist appearance, received five of the nine possible first place votes.
Three other teams split up the remaining four first place votes, including Cal U which picked up two and is second in the voting. Edinboro is third with one first place vote while Pitt-Johnstown is fourth and Seton Hill, with the final first place vote, is fifth.
Rounding out the rest of the Western Division is Gannon in sixth, Slippery Rock in seventh, Mercyhurst in eighth and Clarion in ninth.
In the Eastern Division, PSAC finalist Kutztown is the overwhelming favorite with seven first place votes. Bloomsburg received the remaining two first place votes and is second.
IUP started last season with 15 straight wins and finished with a 30-4 record.
