WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – Monmouth University Men's Basketball had two players named to Preseason All-MAAC teams, as senior guard George Papas earned a spot on the Preseason First Team while Shavar Reynolds Jr. was named to the Third Team. In the league's preseason coaches poll, the Hawks were chosen to finish fourth.
 
Papas, an All-MAAC Second Teamer at the end of last season, has emerged as one of the best three-point shooters in the league, hitting at nearly a 40% clip last year. He averaged 12.4 points and made 47 threes in 20 games, accounting for over half his made field goals. MU's leading returning scorer and top returner in minutes played, Papas' 32 points against Hofstra was the most in a game by any MAAC player last year, netting nine threes to tie a school record.
 
A newcomer to Monmouth, Reynolds comes in from Seton Hall where he started all 27 games a season ago for the Pirates. He averaged 7.7 points and notched 48 steals, dishing out 113 assists, good for over four per contest. Reynolds averaged close to 30 minutes for SHU last season, and scored over 400 points in his time with Seton Hall.
 
Papas is the fourth Hawk in school history to earn All-MAAC Preseason First Team, joining a list that includes Deion Hammond, Micah Seaborn and Justin Robinson, who did it twice.
 
The Hawks were chosen fourth by the league's head coaches, just one point shy of third-place Marist. Iona was the unanimous selection to win the league, followed by Saint Peter's in second. The Hawks were just ahead of fifth-ranked Rider, before Fairfield, who was picked sixth. Manhattan, Siena, Quinnipiac, Niagara and Canisius rounded out the preseason rankings.
 
Monmouth hits the floor for the first time on November 9 at 7:00 p.m., when they head to Charlotte.