DC Men's Hoops Picked Sixth in HCAC Poll

GREENWOOD, Ind. – The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference unveiled the results of its 2010 HCAC Preseason Men's Basketball Coaches' Poll on Wednesday, with Defiance College being picked to finish sixth in what figures to be a very competitive season in the conference. The Jackets also had three athletes tabbed as HCAC Players to Watch. [HCAC Release]

The preseason ranking of sixth place contradicts a common trend over the past four seasons, as the Jackets have established themselves as a staple near the top of the conference with a finish among the top-four teams in each of the past four years. During that time, Defiance has won at least 17 games in each season and owns a 77-32 record for the third-highest winning percentage among all NCAA Division III men's basketball programs in the state of Ohio.

That clip climbs to .750 for Defiance in HCAC action over the same period, as DC has gone 36-12 over its last 48 league meetings. The 36 victories have led to the 25th and 26th conference championships in program history for the Yellow Jackets on the hardwood, including the HCAC Tournament Championship one year ago.

The ensuing NCAA Tournament bid for Defiance in 2009-2010 capped the most successful seasons in DC's NCAA Division III tenure, dating back to the 1991-1992 campaign. DC's 23-6 mark set a new program record for victories during the D-III era, while its NCAA Tournament bid was its fourth since transitioning from the NAIA.

In order for DC to continue its winning ways, it will be forced to fill the void left by a departed six-man senior class that ranked among the most successful classes in program history. The group was highlighted by reigning HCAC Player of the Year and DIII News All-American, Nick Sales, as well as four-time All-HCAC point guard, Mike Floyd.

The 2010-2011 squad will look to carry on that strong winning tradition, while creating its own legacy on the planks. Juniors Anthony Brown and Kyle Tietje will lead the charge with sophomore Logan Wolfrum, as the trio represented Defiance on the HCAC Players-to-Watch List.

Brown started all but two games for Defiance during his All-HCAC sophomore season and ranked second on the team with 11.8 points per game and 38 makes from beyond the arc. The sharp-shooting junior ranked among the top-20 players in the HCAC last season in scoring, three-point field goals made and three-point field goal percentage on his way to piling double-digit point totals 17 times.

Tietje will be a likely fixture in the Yellow Jacket starting lineup during his junior campaign, after spending his first two as one of the team's top reserves. Tietje set career highs in 2009-2010 with 8.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game and pushed those averages to 10.0 points, 6.2 boards and 1.2 blocks during 13 games inside the Karl H. Weaner Community Center.

Wolfrum earned All-HCAC honors during his rookie season and will be expected to lead the Jackets in a push for their third HCAC Championship in the past four years. The rising sophomore guard ranked among DC's top performers last year in numerous statistics including points (10.9 ppg), assists (2.8 apg), three-pointers made (53) and three-point percentage (41.1), while ranking among the top-15 in the HCAC in scoring, assists and three-point shooting.

The projected starting lineup for DC will be rounded out by sophomore Brandon Campbell and junior Kevin Tietje, while the bench will feature juniors Brandon Hoke and Justin Morris, along with sophomore Derrick Bufford. Despite the loss of six seniors and nine lettermen from last year, the Jackets reloaded with a highly touted nine-man recruiting haul that should provide plenty of impact performers to bolster the 2010-2011 squad.

Defiance's sixth-place positioning in the poll rounded out a very competitive group of likely HCAC Tournament contenders. Anderson claimed eight first-place votes and 97 points to lead the poll, while Manchester garnered 85 points to take second. Hanover (81) and Transylvania (67) split the remaining two first-place votes, while Franklin (58) edged DC (57) for fifth. Rose-Hulman (38), Bluffton (33), Mount St. Joseph (20) and newcomer Earlham (14) filled out the preseason rankings.

Defiance will get a chance to showcase its new-look roster on November 15, when it hosts Kalamazoo at 7:30 pm in the regular season opener.