UDC Men's Basketball Voted to Place Fourth in Preseason Poll
WEST BABYLON, N.Y.- The University of the District of Columbia's men's basketball team was voted to finish fourth in the Conference preseason polls.
The Firebirds finished the 2021-22 season with a 9-20, 8-10 ECC record and a post season appearance in the ECC Tournament quarterfinals. They return nine student-athletes from last years roster, including All-Conference Second-Team picks, Jahmir Marable-Williams and Kenyon Stone and welcome five new student-athletes to the team.
Daemen takes the top spot in the poll with three first place votes and 69 points. The Wildcats, who have won at least 19 games in every full season since joining the ECC in 2013, look to continue that success with a different-looking roster. Ten players from last year's squad return, including starters Andrew Mason and Ryan Salzberg, as well as key reserves Joey Atkins and Nick MacDonald, but Daemen also must contend with the exhausted eligibility of the ECC's all-time leading scorer and rebounder, Andrew Sischo, and the reigning ECC Defensive Player of the Year, Sean Fasoyiro.
Right behind Daemen in the poll is three-time defending league champion, St. Thomas Aquinas, with three first place votes and 64 points. The Spartans, who have won six of the last seven ECC titles, also must deal with change after losing three 1,000-point scorers, Demetre Roberts, Osbel Caraballo, and Grant Singleton, as well as head coach Tobin Anderson, who moved on to the Division I rank. New head coach, Matt Capell, still returns a talented roster led by Jamal Barnes, who averaged 10.4 points per game and ranked second in the ECC in three pointers made, and Antonio Vendola, who led the conference in three point shooting percentage.
Molloy was right behind St. Thomas Aquinas at No. 3 with 60 points and two first place votes. The Lions return six of their top nine scorers from last season including First Team All-Conference honorees, Darren Fergus and Muller.
2022-23 ECC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
| Team | Pts. | Last Year's Record |
| 1. Daemen (3) | 69 | 20-9 (16-2 ECC) |
| 2. St. Thomas Aquinas (3) | 64 | 28-5 (17-1 ECC) |
| 3. Molloy (2) | 60 | 12-17 (10-8 ECC) |
| 4. District of Columbia | 46 | 9-20 (8-10 ECC) |
| 5. Roberts Wesleyan | 45 | 12-13 (9-9 ECC) |
| 6. Staten Island (1) | 43 | 7-19 (6-12 ECC) |
| 7. Queens | 40 | 11-12 (9-9 ECC) |
| 8. Mercy | 27 | 6-19 (6-12 ECC) |
| 9. D'Youville | 11 | 2-26 (1-17 ECC) |
( ) - first place votes