Yellow Jackets picked third in HCAC preseason poll

GREENWOOD, Ind. - The Defiance College Men's Basketball team was selected third by the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference coaches in the 2013-14 preseason poll that was announced Wednesday afternoon. Ryan Hicks, Mason Roth, Bernard Edwards, and Travis Schomaeker were named to the HCAC Preseason Players to Watch list for DC.

Defiance will look to make a run at the title this winter after finishing fourth in the HCAC standings last season.  DC finished the season 16-11 overall and 11-7 in conference action. The Yellow Jackets received two first place votes and received 78 points overall.

Rose-Hulman was picked to win the conference, edging out out Hanover 87-86 in voting, despite the Panthers of Hanover receiving four first-place votes, while the Fightin' Engineers only received three first-place votes. Transylvania was the other first-place vote recipient, but finished fifth (62) in the preseason poll behind Mount St. Joseph (64) in fourth.

Franklin (53), Bluffton (48), Manchester (29), Anderson (23) and Earlham (20) rounded out the rankings in the preseason poll.

The Yellow Jackets return one honorable mention All-HCAC player from the 2012-13 campaign in forward Ryan Hicks. As the lone senior on head coach Kyle Brummett's squad, Hicks (Port Clinton, Ohio/Port Clinton) returns after a solid 12-13 campaign in which he averaged 12.5 points and a team-high 5.7 rebounds per game as a junior. Hicks also had a team-leading 30 blocks in 27 games.

Juniors Mason Roth (McComb, Ohio/McComb), Bernard Edwards (Sterling, Mich./Cousino), and Travis Schomaeker (Ottawa, Ohio/Ottawa-Glandorf) join Hicks on the preseason watch list.

Roth, the only returner to start all 27 games last season,  averaged eight points per game as a sophomore, and led the Yellow Jackets with 30 steals. Roth is also the leading returner in assists from last season, dishing out 48.>

Edwards returns in 2013-14 for his second year with the Yellow Jackets. The 6-6 forward started 12 games last season, but averaged 24.3 minutes per game in 21 appearances. Edwards averaged 9.8 points per game with 12 steals and 15 blocks. He also brought down 84 rebounds on the year, averaging four per game.

Schomaeker played in all 27 games for the Purple and Gold last season, starting in 22. The guard averaged eight points per game and had 46 assists. He also had 12 steals and 57 rebounds on the season.

The Defiance College Yellow Jackets will open up the season on November 15th and 16th at the Washington & Lee Tip-Off Tournament. DC will play Southern Virginia on day one at 8 p.m. and will face wither host Washington & Lee of Ferrum College on day two.

The Yellow Jackets first home game is on November 26 against Ohio Northern at 7:30 p.m.