Atlantic Sun Releases Men's Basketball Preseason Rankings

ATLANTA - The Atlantic Sun Conference released its 2023-24 Preseason Media and Coaches Poll, with the Ospreys garnering a combined five first place votes between the two polls.

UNF men's basketball was tabbed to finish eighth in the media poll and 11th in the coaches poll, with the Ospreys garnering four first place votes in the media poll. UNF's four first place votes per media was the third most by any ASUN team.

2023-24 Roster and Schedule Notes
The Ospreys' roster features seven returners and six newcomers, with three of the newcomers already having considerable Division I or junior college experience. North Florida's roster includes three true freshmen, with Mason Lee, Jaylen Smith and Jasai Miles rounding out that group.

UNF's transfer newcomers include Nate Lliteras, Jake van der Heijden and Ametri Moss. Lliteras is a 6-6 forward that appeared in 85 games at Longwood while helping the Lancers to the NCAA Tournament.

Van der Heijden is a graduate transfer from Bucknell where he played in 95 games as a versatile asset for the Bison. Moss is a junior college transfer out of the State College of Florida where he started every game.

Dorian James is the most experienced returner for North Florida, coming back for his fifth season after taking a redshirt in 2018-19 and exercising his COVID year option. James joins Chaz Lanier and Oscar Berry as the three Ospreys that played in at least 30 games a year ago.

North Florida's 2023-24 schedule features 16 home games, a program record during the program's Division I era. UNF also gets the chance to host the First Coast Classic Nov. 16-18, a multi-team tournament featuring Northwestern State, Maine and Presbyterian.

UNF will play five games against Power Five programs, including road contests against LSU, Iowa, Florida State, Georgia and Miami. North Florida also plays non-conference games against South Carolina State, Charleston Southern, Trinity Baptist, Georgia Southern, Edward Waters, High Point and Coastal Georgia.

"Sometimes in your career you get taken aback by selections, especially after not receiving a preseason all-conference pick for the first time in over a decade, while also being selected to finish the lowest we have in our program's Division I era by the ASUN Men's Basketball Coaches," head coach Matthew Driscoll said. "Common sense tells you this is possible based on what it says on paper, however the results don't fall under the perception of October but the reality of March. We know those results will be decided through a group of young men who will embrace where their feet are planted with genuine purpose."

Preseason Player of the Year: Devontae Blanton, EKU
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Isaiah Cozart, EKU

ASUN Men's Basketball Preseason All-ASUN Team
*Devontae Blanton EKU
*Terrell Burden Kennesaw State
*Jacob Ognacevic Lipscomb
DeMarcus Sharp Austin Peay
Garrett Tipton Bellarmine
Camren Hunter Central Arkansas
Isaiah Cozart EKU
Isaiah Thompson FGCU
Jacari Lane North Alabama
AJ McKee Queens
Jalen Blackmon Stetson

* - Denotes unanimous selection
^ - a tie in voting resulted in an 11-person Preseason All-ASUN Team

Preseason Men's Basketball Coaches Poll (1st place votes)
1. EKU (8) 140
2. FGCU 106
3. Stetson 105
4. Kennesaw State (1) 103
5. Lipscomb 99
6. Bellarmine 81
7. North Alabama (1) 74
8. Austin Peay (1) 71
9. Jacksonville 51
10. Queens 47
11. North Florida (1) 36
12. Central Arkansas 23

Preseason Men's Basketball Media Poll (1st place votes)
1. EKU (32) 552
2. Kennesaw State (6) 444
3. Lipscomb 432
4. FGCU (2) 382
5. Bellarmine 350
6. Stetson 334
7. North Alabama 284
8. North Florida (4) 252
9. Queens 226
10. Jacksonville 176
11. Austin Peay (2) 170
12. Central Arkansas 110

Players Mentioned

Oscar Berry

Dorian James

Chaz Lanier

Mason Lee

Nate Lliteras

Jasai Miles

Ametri Moss

Jaylen Smith

Jake van der Heijden

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