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| Jeff Bonds, the Most Outstanding Player of the West Regional last year, is listed by Street & Smith?s as a preseason honorable mention All-American. |
Cal Poly Pomona?s men?s basketball program has entered some unchartered territory.
The 2003 NCAA Division II West Region champions have been ranked second in the nation in Street & Smith?s preseason Top 10. This is the highest preseason ranking in the history of the program.
Cal Poly Pomona is coming off a 23-7 season that was capped by only the second-ever appearance in the national quarterfinals. The Broncos beat CCAA champion Cal State San Bernardino, 91-84, in double overtime to win the West Regional championship and advanced to the Elite Eight, where they lost to Kentucky Wesleyan. The Panthers later had to forfeit their victories in 2002-03 because of the use of ineligible players.
The Broncos will return all five starters and their top six scorers from a year ago. Jeff Bonds, the Most Outstanding Player of the West Regional last year, is listed by Street & Smith?s as a preseason honorable mention All-American. Bonds will look to become only the fifth All-American in the program?s history.
?It?s a reflection of what happened with last year?s team and what they accomplished,? Cal Poly Pomona head coach Greg Kamansky says. ?The reality is it has nothing to do with this year?s performance because we haven?t played a game yet. It just shows that this program is coming along to where we want it to be, as one that deserves national recognition.?
Humboldt State, which lost to Cal State San Bernardino in the semi-finals of the West Regional last year, is the preseason No. 1 team in the country. Cal State San Bernardino is ranked seventh. Southern Indiana (third), Tarleton State (fourth), South Dakota State (fifth), Rollins (sixth), South Dakota (eighth), Kentucky Wesleyan (ninth) and Findlay 10th) round out the Top 10.
There were two five-player All-American squads selected. Bonds was one of 21 players who received honorable mention.
Street & Smith NCAA Division II Preseason Top 10
- Humboldt State
- Cal Poly Pomona
- Southern Indiana
- Tarleton State
- South Dakota State
- Rollins
- Cal State San Bernardino
- South Dakota
- Kentucky Wesleyan
- Findlay
Preseason All-Americans
First Team
Peter Bullock (Alaska Anchorage)
Ron Christy (Teikyo-Post)
Fred Hooks (Humboldt State)
Elad Inbar (UMass-Lowell)
Tommie King (South Dakota)
Second Team
Brian Atkins (Concord)
Matt Jones (South Dakota State)
Austin Nichols (Humboldt State)
Spencer Ross (Queens, N.C.)
Brian Westre (Missouri-Rolla)
Honorable Mention
(West Region Selections)
Jeff Bonds (Cal Poly Pomona)
Jonathan Levy (Cal State San Bernardino)
Terri Miller (Cal State Bakersfield