2009 UMAC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll
T-1. 45 Points - University of Minnesota, Morris (4 First Place Votes)
T-1. 45 Points - Northwestern College (4)
3. 35 Points - College of St. Scholastica
4. 32 Points - Bethany Lutheran College
5. 26 Points - Martin Luther College
6. 18 Points - Presentation College
7. 16 Points - Northland College
8. 7 Points - Crown College
ST. PAUL -- Northwestern College and the University of Minnesota, Morris, a pair of teams who were one and two games out of first place at the end of the 2008-09 season, were predicted to win the UMAC Men's Basketball Conference Championship according to the league's coaches. Both the Eagles and Cougars received 45 points and four first place votes to best the remaining six teams in the conference -- at least on paper -- before the 2009-10 campaign.
Minnesota, Morris, who finished last year with a fourth-best 9-5 UMAC record, return to the court with an arsenal of experienced. Dan Fragodt, who became the Cougars' most dependable player last year averaging 11 points per game, welcomes back All-UMAC teammates Phil Allen and Eric Dalbey - both starters who went down with season-ending injuries early last year. Allen, a senior this year, averaged 18.1 points and 4.3 rebounds per game in league affairs in 2007-08, while Dalbey, a sophomore, contributed 14.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game in the same season.
Northwestern returns four of its five starters from a year ago when the Eagles finished 10-4 in conference action. All eyes will be on Stephen Hanson, as the two-time UMAC First Team All-Conference winner returns for his senior season. As a junior, Hanson averaged 17.0 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. Reid Berens, another returning all-conference player for Northwestern, returns to the court after a junior season that included 13.0 points and 8.4 rebounds per contest. Guard Eric Garst (6.7 points per game, 103 assists in 2008-09) rounds out Head Coach Tim Grosz's senior trifecta in 2009-10.
The College of St. Scholastica, one of two teams to share the conference championship in 2008-09 and the league's postseason tournament champion last year, took third place in the poll with 35 points. The Saints enter the 2009-10 season with the NCAA Division III's longest current winning streak at 11 games. Head Coach
David Staniger returns almost all of his perimeter players from last year's 11-3 team, including UMAC First Team All-Conference selection #Danny Schmitz#. St. Scholastica's front court is a different story, as the Saints will have to replace graduating seniors
Troy Miller (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater HS),
Kyle Allen (Black River Falls, Wis./Black River Falls HS) and
Jesse Taylor (Superior, Wis./Maranatha Academy).
Bethany Lutheran College, recipient of 32 points for fourth place in the poll, returns three key starters from last year's team. All-conference player Tommy Saffert, who one UMAC coach labels as crafty and quick, is back for his senior season after averaging 16.4 points and nearly four assists per conference game in 2008-09. Stephone Frederick and Jeff Zimmerman join Saffert in the Vikings' quest to win their first ever UMAC championship. Frederick was Bethany's most improved player last season while Zimmerman (13.7 points per game in 2008-09) made over 40 percent of his three-point attempts a year ago.
Martin Luther College, who joined St. Scholastica as the UMAC Champions in 2008-09, was predicted to finish fifth in the conference, receiving 26 points. The Knights will be forced to replace several key contributors from last year's 11-3 team including UMAC Player of the Year Caleb Free. One of Coach Jim Unke's go-to players will be Greg Holzhueter, who was honored with first team all-conference accolades last season after averaging 14.2 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game. Fans who are used to seeing Holzhueter at the point guard position may see the junior playing the shooting guard position at times with the arrival of freshman Nate Bauer.
Presentation College earned 18 points in the preseason poll which was good for sixth place. The Saints look to improve on last year's 6-8 conference finish, and hope a group of seniors led by Richie Ward will lead the charge. Besides Stephon Sese, who graduated, Ward was the only Presentation named to the 2008-09 all-conference award listing. The 6'8” Ward averaged 10.4 points and 5.3 rebounds per game in UMAC contests last season. Saints Head Coach Matt Sevareid also welcomes point guard Trey Stephens back to the court after the senior lead the UMAC in assists-to-turnovers last year.
Northland College boasts its strongest and deepest team in years, but the Lumberjacks will have to work hard to move up and make the UMAC Tournament according to Head Coach Rob Robinson. Northland, who took seventh place in the poll with 16 points, returns four juniors and one senior from last year's team - the first time under Robinson that the Lumberjacks have had more than two upperclassmen. Ryan Cannata is the team's lone senior and would break the 1,000 point threshold with 106 points this season. 2008-09 starters Joey Brennen, Zeb Woiakand and Michael Mackey also return to the court for Northland.
Crown College, who received seven points for eighth place in the preseason poll, returns to the hard wood under second-year head coach Jon Barsness. Barsness welcomes back six players from last year's squad while nine new recruits will hope to help change the face of a team that went 0-14 in conference play a year ago. Jacob Jarvis returns for his senior season after leading the Storm with 12.5 points per game in last season's UMAC contests. Steven Holladay (9.3 points per game in 2008-09) also returns to lead Crown.
