COUGARS PREDICTED TO FINISH FIRST IN NORTH DIVISION BY CACC MEN'S BASKETBALL PRESEASON POLL

10-29-08
CALDWELL, N.J. - The Caldwell College men's basketball team was picked to win the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference North Division in the conference's Preseason Poll, released by the league today. The Cougars, who finished second in the division last year, received five first-place votes and 61 points, five more points than defending division champion Post University, who garnered four first-place votes.

Last season, the Cougars went 12-17 overall and 9-7 in the CACC to finish second in the North behind Post, which was 10-6. Caldwell advanced to the semifinals of the CACC Tournament, narrowly losing to Holy Family University 55-53. Nine players are back from last year's team, led by three-time all-CACC senior forward Manny Perez (Egg Harbor Twp., NJ/Egg Harbor Twp.). Perez posted team-leading averages of 14.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game while pacing the CACC in field goal percentage (.546). He ranks sixth on Caldwell's all-time scoring list with 1,370 career points heading into his senior season. The teams other seniors are guard Carl Augustin (Stony Point, NY/Don Bosco Prep), pictured, and center Michael Luzzi (Mt. Arlington, NJ/Morris Catholic).

Philadelphia University, which captured the CACC South Division and the CACC Tournament in 2007-08, was predicted to win the South after receiving 11 first-place votes. Goldey-Beacom College received the other first-place vote. This is the second straight year that Caldwell was picked to finish first in the CACC North.

The Cougars will play an exhibition game at Rutgers University on Monday, Nov. 10 before opening the regular season on Saturday, Nov. 15 with a home game against Molloy College.

2008-09 CACC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
North Division

South Division

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