WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – Monmouth University Men's Basketball was chosen fourth in the league's Preseason Coaches' Poll, while guards Ray Salnave (Elmont, NY/Benjamin N. Cardozo) and Deion Hammond (Mitchellville, MD/Riverdale Baptist School) were each named to the Preseason All-MAAC Second Team.

"It's a brand new season," said Head Coach King Rice. "Our team is super excited to compete in the MAAC, I think our league is going to have a much better non-conference than we had last year. I've talked to a bunch of the coaches and I think a lot of guys are fired up about our league this year, and I'm one of them. I'm fired up about my team, we're a year older, we finished very strong last year and we're trying to really get after people this year so we can get over that final game hump." 

The Blue and White garnered a fourth-place ranking after advancing to the title game last season. Iona was selected first and garnered 10 first place votes, while Rider got one top vote and was chosen second. MU was just five points back of third-ranked Quinnipiac, and two points ahead of fifth-place Manhattan. Siena was just one point back of the Jaspers in sixth, while Canisius and Marist were seventh and eight respectively. Saint Peter's, Niagara and Fairfield rounded out the poll.

Salnave narrowly edged out Hammond for Monmouth's scoring lead last season, averaging 11.9 points per game and leading MU in assists with 95. He is the top returning guard in the rebounding department and led the Blue and White in minutes played a season ago. Salnave made five shots in the final minute of regulation or overtime last season to tie or put MU in front, including game winners over Penn and Iona.

Hammond was just four points behind Salnave for tops in the MU scoring column last year, and led MU from long range with 74 made threes. The junior played in 34 of 35 games, and his 135 made field goals led the Blue and White. Hammond was a 2018 MAAC All-Rookie Selection, and is Monmouth's leading scorer across the last two seasons, averaging nearly 12 points per game for his career.

"This is cool for the kids," said Rice on Hammond and Salnave. "I think it says they've done some good things in this league and the coaches respect their body of work so far. Being a MAAC Second Team guy is incredible especially in the preseason because its people thinking you're going to do big things. I think it's more important how guys end the season so I'm hopeful that if people think they're second team, that they're at least that and maybe even first at the end."

King Rice's squad opens the 2019-20 campaign on November 5^th at Lehigh, with tip set for 7:00 p.m.