Siena College Saints: A lot has changed at Siena since the end of the 2009-2010 campaign. Gone are Alex Franklin (MAAC Player of the Year), Edwin Ubiles, and Ronald Moore. Gone is head coach Fran McCaffery. But the Saints have won three consecutive MAAC championships and they still have Ryan Rossiter and Clarence Jackson. The key will be their role players and how well the Saints adjust to a new head coach. Siena will not be the favorite in the MAAC this year, but don’t count them out just yet.
Rider University Broncs: Despite the loss of Ryan Thompson, Rider returns seven of their top eight players from a season ago. Senior Mike Ringgold (11.2 points per game) will see more opportunities this year and will need help from Justin Robinson. Robinson was second in the conference in 3-point field goal percentage last year and will look to build himself into an all-around player this season. The Broncs will get overlooked this season, but could be a sleeper in the MAAC with Robinson and Ringgold leading the way.
Iona College Gaels: The Gaels are the only other team being picked to win the MAAC besides Fairfield. Despite their head coach Kevin Willard bolting for Seton Hall, Iona brings back plenty of talent for new coach Tim Cluess. Iona finished 21-10 last season and was third in the MAAC. Eight players return, including all five starters. The Gaels will look to push the tempo under Cluess and will likely be near the top of the MAAC all season.
Loyola University Greyhounds: Loyola will look to rebound from a 13-17 season last year and coach Jimmy Patsos expects to run and press a lot. Senior Jamal Barney (12.6 points per game) will lead one of the deepest Greyhound teams in recent memory. 6-foot-10-inch forward Shane Walker is a player that Patsos hopes presents matchup problems for opponents. He can shoot from the outside and use his size to hurt teams on the inside. Injuries hurt Loyola last season and if they can stay healthy this year, they could be a factor in the MAAC race.
Manhattan College Jaspers: Between graduation and players leaving early, Manhattan lost 85.6% of its scoring from last season. If Alabama transfer Demetrius Jemison is cleared by the NCAA, the Jaspers would add a strong inside force. The 6-foot-8-inch Jemison was once a starter at Alabama and could become an elite player in the MAAC. There are plenty of newcomers to the Manhattan roster, including 6’7” Torgrim Sommerfeldt, from Norway. He was originally committed to Wake Forest, but he spent an extra year at school in Norway. The Jaspers hopes to surprise some people this season, but it may take some time to get to the top of the MAAC.
Marist College Red Foxes: After winning just 1 game last season, Marist knows things can only get better. The Red Foxes have added some size to their roster and they hope this immediately improves their defense and rebounding. With just three upperclassmen on scholarship, Marist will rely on their newcomers.
St. Peter’s College Peacocks: Many college basketball publication consider the Peacocks to be one of the top three teams in the MAAC. They were picked third in the league’s preseason coaches’ poll and will look to improve on a 16-14 season a year ago. St. Peter’s returns almost its entire team from last year when it lead the nation in defensive field goal percentage. Look for St. Peter’s to be right there in the race for the MAAC title.
Niagara University Eagles: The Purple Eagles finished a respectable 18-15 last season and hope that a young team can build confidence early in the 2010-2011 season. Niagara averaged 72 points per game last season, and their senior class was responsible for 52 of those points. Although they lost plenty of talent, the Purple Eagles hope their role players can keep them in contention in the MAAC.
Canisius College Griffins: In his fifth year as head coach of Canisius, Tom Parrotta will rely heavily on his seniors to find success this season. The loss of Frank Turner (16.2 points per game), who is now playing professionally in Holland, will be tough for the Golden Griffins to overcome. Canisius finished seventh in the MAAC a season ago and will look to win more than one game in the MAAC tournament for the first time in six years. There is plenty of experience, but Parrotta will need to find a reliable point guard to run the offense. With five returning seniors and some talented new faces, Canisius hopes to cause problems in the MAAC.
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