Drexel, Delaware picked at bottom of CAA preseason poll

Josh Verlin (@jmverlin)
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With new coaches and major rebuilding projects ahead at both Drexel and Delaware, the results of the CAA’s 2016-17 Preseason Poll, released Tuesday morning at the league’s annual media day in Arlington, Va., are no surprise.

The Dragons and Blue Hens were picked to finish 9th and 10th in the 10-team league, respectively, after finishing in those exact positions a year ago.

Defending league champion UNC Wilmington was picked to repeat as league champions, with seniors Chris Flemmings (First Team) and Denzel Ingram (Second Team) picked to receive all-league honors.

UNC-Wilmington picked up 37 of the 40 first-place votes from the league’s coaches, media relations directors and media, with Towson (2) and William & Mary (1) receiving the other three. The Tigers and Tribe were picked second and third in the league, with College of Charleston just behind them in fourth. James Madison, Hofstra, Northeastern and Elon were slotted fifth through eighth, respectively.

Drexel head coach Zack Spiker and Delaware’s Martin Ingelsby were both brought on this offseason to replace the ousted Bruiser Flint and Monté Ross, each of whom had been at their respective programs for a decade or longer. They’ve both got a lot of work to do to bring their programs back to the top of the league; Delaware is only three years removed from a league championship and NCAA Tournament appearance, while Drexel last appeared in the league title game in 2012 after winning the league’s regular-season championship.

Last year, Drexel went 6-25 with a 3-15 league record. Delaware won one more game overall (7-23) but was just 2-16 in CAA play.

Neither program placed a player on the all-league preseason teams, though Drexel senior Rodney Williams and Delaware junior Chivarsky Corbett were both named honorable mentions.

Joining Flemmings on the league’s preseason first team were Towson senior William Adala Moto, Charleston sophomore Jarrell Brantley, Hofstra junior Rokas Gustus and William & Mary's Omar Prewitt.

CAA 2016-17 Preseason Poll
First place votes in parenthesis
1. UNC-Wilmington (37) -- 361 points
2. Towson (2) -- 278
3. William & Mary (1) -- 275
4. College of Charleston -- 267
5. James Madison -- 227
6. Hofstra -- 207
7. Northeastern -- 136
8. Elon -- 134
9. Drexel -- 63
10. Delaware -- 52

CAA Preseason All-Conference First Team
William Adala Moto (Sr./Towson)
Jarrell Brantley (Soph./Charleston)
Chris Flemmings (Sr./UNC-Wilmington)
Rokas Gustys (Jr./Hofstra)
Omar Prewitt (Sr./William & Mary)

CAA Preseason All-Conference Second Team
Shakir Brown (Sr./James Madison)
Daniel Dixon (Sr./William & Mary)
Denzel Ingram (Sr./UNC-Wilmington)
Cameron Johnson (Jr./Charleston)
Mike Morsell (Jr./Towson)