Aurora has been tabbed to win the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference men's basketball championship according to the preseason poll, voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors.
Last season, the Spartans finished tied for third place with a 14-6 record in league play (18-9 overall), and lost in the semifinal round of the NACC Tournament to regular season and tournament champion, Marian (22-7, 17-3 NACC). The Spartans have won five NACC titles, most recently the 2012-13 season. Aurora received 13 first-place votes for 230 poll points, just eight points ahead of MSOE's 222 points and eight top votes. Benedictine was third with 174, Concordia Wisconsin fourth with 172 and the final first-place nod, and Marian fifth at 156. Edgewood was tabbed sixth at 134, Lakeland seventh at 130 and Wisconsin Lutheran eighth at 90. Rockford (54), Concordia Chicago (48) and Dominican (42) rounded out the final three spots in the poll. The NACC's regular season standings determine the teams that qualify for the eight-team conference tournament, while the tournament champion receives the league's automatic bid to the NCAA III Championship Tournament. 2014-15 NACC Preseason Coaches' and SIDs' Poll 1. Aurora (13), 230 2. MSOE (8), 222 3. Benedictine, 174 4. Concordia Wisconsin (1), 172 5. Marian, 156 6. Edgewood, 134 7. Lakeland, 130 8. Wisconsin Lutheran, 90 9. Rockford, 54 10. Concordia Chicago, 48 11. Dominican, 42 First-place votes in parentheses Voted by the conference's head coaches and sports information directors 11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 point scale used FOND DU LAC, Wis. (SabreAthletics.com) – DIII News recently released its 2014-15 Preseason Fact Sheet that featured a preseason Top-25 poll and mentioned Marian University men's basketball as a team to watch this upcoming season. The Sabres fell just outside DIII News' Preseason Top-25 list, but were recognized as a team to watch this season. And rightfully so, as Marian nearly pulled off a near upset of then-top-ranked and national title favorite UW-Stevens Point in the first round of the 2014 NCAA Division III tournament. The Sabres watched as a corner three rimmed out at the buzzer, allowing the Pointers to escape with a 66-64 victory. Marian held a lead for the majority of the contest, but fell short in front of a raucous crowd of over 2,200. The Sabres are the reigning Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference regular season and tournament champions after a 22-7 overall record, including a 17-3 mark in league play. Head Coach Mark Boyle will begin his 27th season at the helm when his squad travels to Beloit College for the season opener, Saturday, Nov. 15.
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Championships (11)
(78-79), (79-80), (80-81), (82-83), (83-84), (87-88), (89-90), (90-91), (98-99), (99-00), (13-14) NCAA Tournaments (2) (00-01), (13-14) Categories
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April 2018
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