Baltimore, MD – The Hofstra Men's Basketball team, which won 20 games a season ago, advanced to postseason play and returns four starters from last year, has been picked as the preseason favorite in the Colonial Athletic Association poll released this morning at CAA Basketball Media Day at The Center Club in Baltimore, Maryland. 

Voters in the preseason poll included the league's coaches, media relations directors and media members. 

It marks just the second time since Hofstra joined the CAA in 2001-02 that the Pride has been the preseason favorite as previously Hofstra was selected first in the poll prior to the 2006-07 campaign. 

In addition, Hofstra senior guard Juan'ya Green was named the CAA Preseason Player of the Year, while Green and senior guard/forward Ameen Tanksley garnered preseason First Team All-CAA accolades. 

Green is the first Hofstra player to be named the preseason player of the year since Charles Jenkins in 2010-11 and just the fourth since Hofstra joined the league in 2001-02 (Jenkins in 2011-12, Jenkins in 2009-10 (co) and Loren Stokes in 2006-07). 

Hofstra was followed in the poll by James Madison, Northeastern, William & Mary, Delaware, UNCW, Towson, Drexel, Charleston and Elon. 

Hofstra welcomes back three double-digit scorers from last year's 20-14 team. Leading the Pride is the multi-talented Green, who received first-team All-CAA honors after averaging 17.1 ppg and ranking ninth in Division I in assists (6.5 apg). Senior wing Ameen Tanksley was the league's fourth-leading scorer with 16.2 ppg and grabbed 5.5 rpg to earn a spot on the All-CAA second team. Joining them in the backcourt is junior Brian Bernardi (11.6 ppg), who knocked down a team-high 95 threes and shot better than 40% from beyond the arc. Also back for the Pride are senior Malik Nichols (6.1 ppg/4.9 rpg), junior Jamall Robinson (4.0 ppg) and sophomore post player Rokas Gustys (5.2 ppg/5.7 rpg). Several newcomers are expected to make an impact for Hofstra, including frontcourt transfer Denton Koon (Princeton).

With Green and Tanskley on the first team, Hofstra has a pair of players on the preseason All-CAA first team for the first time since 2006-07 when Stokes and Antoine Agudio garnered preseason first team honors. 

Hofstra will open the 2015-16 season on Friday, November 13 when it hosts Canisius at part of a doubleheader with the women's team. The women's game against Navy will tip-off at 5 p.m. and the men's game will follow. For ticket information visit HofstraTickets.com, where you can now print your tickets at home. You can also call the Hofstra Athletics Box Office at (516) HOF-TIXX or visit them in the lobby of the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex. 

2015-16 CAA MEN'S BASKETBALL PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
1. Hofstra
2. James Madison
3. Northeastern
4. William & Mary
5. Delaware
6. UNCW
7. Towson
8. Drexel
9. College of Charleston
10. Elon
 
2015-16 CAA MEN'S BASKETBALL PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS
First Team                                       Cl.        Pos.     Ht.       Wt.      Hometown/Previous School
Ron Curry, James Madison#              Sr.        G          6-3       200      Pennsauken, N.J./Paul VI
Juan'ya Green, Hofstra*                    Sr.        G          6-3       205      Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Carroll/Niagara
Ameen Tanksley, Hofstra#                Sr.        G/F      6-6       218      Philadelphia, Pa./Imhotep Charter/Niagara
Terry Tarpey, William & Mary#           Sr.        G/F      6-5       210      Stamford, Conn./Fairfield Prep
David Walker, Northeastern#              Sr.        G          6-6       196      Stow, Ohio/Stow-Munroe Falls
 
Second Team                                     Cl.        Pos.     Ht.       Wt.      Hometown/Previous School
Yohanny Dalembert, James Madison^   Jr.        F          6-8       230      Port-au-Prince, Haiti/Lower Merion (Pa.)
John Davis, Towson^                           Jr.        F          6-5       215      Philadelphia, Pa./Ss. Neumann-Goretti
Quincy Ford, Northeastern                   Sr.        F/G      6-8       225      St. Petersburg, Fla./Gibbs
Kory Holden, Delaware                        So.       G          6-2       180      Salisbury, Md./J.M. Bennett
Omar Prewitt, William & Mary^            Jr.        G/F        6-7       195      Mount Sterling, Ky./Montgomery County     
 
CAA Preseason Player of the Year: Juan'ya Green, Hofstra
Honorable Mention: Tavon Allen, Sr., G, Drexel; Canyon Barry, Jr., G, College of Charleston; Arnaud William Adala Moto, Jr., F, Towson; Craig Ponder, Sr., G, UNCW; Tanner Samson, Sr., G, Elon
 
*1^st team All-CAA in 2014-15
#2^nd team All-CAA in 2014-15
^3^rd team All-CAA in 2014-15