LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The IUP men's basketball program was picked to win the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division for the eighth straight year as the league announced its 2023-24 preseason coaches' polls Thursday.
IUP is coming off the heels of a stellar 32-2 season that included a PSAC regular season and tournament championship and hosting rights as the No. 1 seed in the Atlantic Region of the NCAA Tournament. Overall, IUP has captured four consecutive conference titles after last season's hard-fought 54-53 victory against Mercyhurst in the 2023 PSAC Championship game.
It's part of an unprecedented run of success for the Hawks, developing into a national powerhouse with an overall mark of 123-10 (.924) over the last four full playing seasons.
IUP was picked as the slight favorite in the PSAC West this season, picking up five first-place votes, just ahead of second-place California (Pa.) (four first-place votes). Mercyhurst, Slippery Rock and Pitt-Johnstown closed out the top five in the PSAC West.
East Stroudsburg was tabbed the preseason favorite in the PSAC East with five first-place votes with West Chester following in second.
Returning for his 18th season at the helm of the IUP program, head coach
Joe Lombardi will utilize a new-look lineup for the 2023-24 season following the departure of three All-PSAC First team starters from a year ago (two graduates, one transfer).
Despite losing top-level talent from a season ago, IUP returns several impactful contributors. Headlining the returning group is senior
Ethan Porterfield, the reigning two-time conference tournament MVP who ranks 17th in program history in career points (1,337), 11th in rebounding (628) and third in blocks (137).
Porterfield was listed among Wayne Cavadi's 15 NCAA DII
players to watch for the 2023-24 season.
Guards
Dallis Dillard,
Jaylen Stewart and
KJ Rhodes all return with valuable experience last season in the IUP backcourt. Dillard ranked fourth in the conference in steals (55), while Stewart continually improved as the year progressed as a transfer.
Forwards
Damir Brooks,
Dolan Waldo and
Callum MacNamara should all see increased roles heading into the 2023-24 season to compliment Porterfield.
IUP also added seven newcomers to the squad in 2023-24, including Akron transfer
Garvin Clarke, Young Harris transfer
Josh Petteno and junior college transfers
Denzel Kabasele and
Anthony Watson. Among the incoming freshmen for 2023-24 are
Jordan Lambert,
Gabriel Romero-Sanz and
Sarp Furton.
IUP has a challenging nonconference slate to begin 2023-24, which features five consecutive home games at the KCAC. The Hawks open the season against Concord on Friday, November 10 at 7:30 p.m.
2023-24 PSAC Men's Basketball Preseason Polls
Eastern Division (first-place votes)
1. East Stroudsburg (5)
2. West Chester (3)
3. Millersville
4. Shepherd (1)
5. Shippensburg
6. Lock Haven
7. Kutztown
8. Bloomsburg
9. Mansfield
Western Division (first-place votes)
1. IUP (5)
2. California (4)
3. Mercyhurst
4. Slippery Rock
5. Pitt-Johnstown
6. Seton Hill
7. Gannon
8. Clarion
9. Edinboro
Follow
For up-to-date information, visit IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP men's basketball on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUP_MBB.
