Men's Basketball | 9/7/2010 3:42:10 PM
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The West Liberty University men's basketball team is ranked No. 8 in the NCAA Division II section of The Sporting News College Basketball Preview magazine.
Senior guard Corey Pelle was selected as an Honorable Mention Preseason NCAA Division II All-American by the publication, which featured a list of the projected Top 10 teams for the 2010-11 season along with possible breakthrough squads and an All-America Team.
Coach Jim Crutchfield welcomes back four senior starters – all double-figure scorers – from last year's West Virginia Conference championship squad, which came up one win shy of a trip to the NCAA Division II “Elite Eight.” West Liberty set a school record for victories with a 29-3 season and was ranked No. 10 in the final NCAA Division II coaches' poll.
Starters returning along with Pelle (17.7 ppg.), a 5-11 All-Region guard who has already scored 1,365 points and set a school record with 229 career steals, are Barry Shetzer (14.9 ppg.), John Wolosinczuk (13.8 ppg.) and Jordan Fortney (12.5 ppg.).
Entering his seventh season at the West Liberty helm, Crutchfield ranks No. 2 nationally in winning percentage among active NCAA Division II coaches (142-39, .785) and has led the Hilltoppers to six consecutive 20-win seasons.
Findlay (Ohio) was No. 1 in The Sporting News' NCAA Division II rankings followed by Bellarmine (Ky.), Grand Valley State (Mich.), Arkansas Tech and defending national champion Cal Poly-Pomona.
Indiana (Pa.), last year's national runner-up which defeated West Liberty in the Atlantic Region title tilt, is No. 6 followed by Seattle Pacific, the Hilltoppers, Winona State (Minn.) and Bentley (Mass.).
West Liberty tips off the 2010-11 campaign at home on Nov. 14 against Lock Haven (Pa.).
The Sporting News
NCAA Division II Men's Basketball
2010-11 Preseason Top 10
1. Findlay (Ohio)
2. Bellarmine (Ky.)
3. Grand Valley State (Mich.)
4. Arkansas Tech
5. Cal Poly-Pomona
6. Indiana (Pa.)
7. Seattle Pacific (Wash.)
8. WEST LIBERTY
9. Winona State (Minn.)
10. Bentley (Mass.)
Possible Breakthroughs
Alabama-Huntsville, Anderson (S.C.), Augustana (S.D.), Bloomfield (N.J.), BYU-Hawaii, Central Missouri, Central Oklahoma, Drury (Mo.), Felician (N.J.), Ferris State (Mich.), Florida Southern, Fort Lewis (Colo.), Georgia College & State, Hillsdale (Mich.), Humboldt State (Calif.), Kentucky Wesleyan, Lynn (Fla.), Mary (N.D.), Metro State (Colo.), Midwestern State (Texas), Minnesota State-Mankato, Montevallo (Ala.), Mount Olive (N.C.), Philadelphia University (Pa.), Queens (N.C.), Rollins (Fla.), St. Cloud State (Minn.), Southern Indiana, Stonehill (Mass.), Tarleton State (Texas), USC-Aiken, W.Va. State
Sporting News Preseason All-Americans
First Team
Chris Banchero (Seattle Pacific), Gage Daye (Blooomfield), Justin Keenan (Ferris State), Darryl Webb (Indiana, PA), Dauntae Williams (Central Oklahoma).
Second Team
Jet Chang (BYU-Hawaii), LaMarshall Corbett (Angelo State), Chris Hall (Lynn), Justin Ringler (Grand Valley State), Nick Wolf (Rollins).
Honorable Mention
Darius Adams (Indianapolis), Daniel Bailey (Queens, N.C.), Thomas Baudinet (Saint Anselm), D.J. Blackmon (Lenoir-Rhyne), Donnelle Booker (Cal Poly-Pomona), Simel Boyd (Francis Marion), Sharif Bray (Cheyney), Justin Brock (Quincy), Tyler Bullock (Nebraska-Omaha), Kyle Caiola (Findlay), Rashad Callaway (Tampa), D'Mario Curry (Lincoln Memorial), Byron Faison (USC-Aiken), Chris Hagan (Midwestern State), Alex Hall (Drury), Braydon Hobbs (Bellarmine), Marquel Hoskins (San Francisco State), Nathan Hyde (Findlay), Dominique Jones (Fort Hays State), Jeremy Kendle (Bellarmine), DeAndre Lansdowne (Fort Lewis), Jefferson Mason (Minnesota State-Mankato), Darin Mency (Merrimack), Josh Miller (W.Va. State), Anthony Moody (Mary), Brian Morris (Humboldt State), Donte Nicholas (Metro State), COREY PELLE (West Liberty), Blake Poole (Saint Martin's), Cody Schilling (Augustana), Justin Swidowski (Holy Family), Brian Tracey (Bentley), Anthony Tucker (Winona State), Marques Whippy (BYU-Hawaii), Taylor Witt (St. Cloud State), Chris Woods (Pfeiffer).
