The defending A-10 Champs were picked to repeat in this year's A-10 preseason poll, picked as this year's favorite to win the conference despite a new head coach and a slew of new faces following Ryan Odom's departure to UVA this offseason.
Phil Martelli Jr.'s first group on Broad St. just edged out Saint Louis in the poll, finishing with 11 first place votes and picked ahead of a top-5 that consists of No.2 Saint Louis, No.3 Dayton, No.4 George Washington and No.5 Loyola Chicago, all but GW receiving first place votes. The Rams earned the spot thanks largely to new faces, as transfers Barry Evans (Bryant), Jadrian "Bam" Tracey (Oregon) and Tyrell Ward (LSU) earned Second Team All-Conference honors with Ahmad Nowell (UConn) starting his A-10 career on the preseason Third Team. Returning sophomore guard, Brandon Jennings, earned All-Defensive team honors.
ATLANTIC 10 PRESEASON POLL
1. VCU (11)
2. Saint Louis (11)
3. Dayton (3)
4. George Washington
5. Loyola Chicago (2)
6. George Mason
7. Saint Joseph's
8. St. Bonaventure
9. Duquesne
10. Richmond
11. Davidson
12. Rhode Island
13. La Salle
14. Fordham
Number in parenthesis indicates first place votes
This is the second consecutive season for VCU as the top pick in the preseason. The Rams entered and finished last year as the No.1, sharing regular season conference championship honors with George Mason, but earning the No.1 seed in last season's A-10 tournament where they rode is to a tourney championship over Mason.
Phil Martelli Jr.'s first group on Broad St. just edged out Saint Louis in the poll, finishing with 11 first place votes and picked ahead of a top-5 that consists of No.2 Saint Louis, No.3 Dayton, No.4 George Washington and No.5 Loyola Chicago, all but GW receiving first place votes. The Rams earned the spot thanks largely to new faces, as transfers Barry Evans (Bryant), Jadrian "Bam" Tracey (Oregon) and Tyrell Ward (LSU) earned Second Team All-Conference honors with Ahmad Nowell (UConn) starting his A-10 career on the preseason Third Team. Returning sophomore guard, Brandon Jennings, earned All-Defensive team honors.
ATLANTIC 10 PRESEASON POLL
1. VCU (11)
2. Saint Louis (11)
3. Dayton (3)
4. George Washington
5. Loyola Chicago (2)
6. George Mason
7. Saint Joseph's
8. St. Bonaventure
9. Duquesne
10. Richmond
11. Davidson
12. Rhode Island
13. La Salle
14. Fordham
Number in parenthesis indicates first place votes
This is the second consecutive season for VCU as the top pick in the preseason. The Rams entered and finished last year as the No.1, sharing regular season conference championship honors with George Mason, but earning the No.1 seed in last season's A-10 tournament where they rode is to a tourney championship over Mason.
