NEW HAVEN, Conn. - - In a vote of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference's men's basketball head coaches, Wilmington University was picked to finish fifth in the South Division for the 2012-13 season, announced by the conference office on Monday.
Head coach Mike Gallagher enters his fourth season at the helm of the Wildcats and will look to lead his squad back to the CACC Tournament for the first time since the 2009-10 season. The Wildcats have finished fifth in the CACC South Division in each of the past two seasons, one spot outside of the CACC tournament.
Last year the Wildcats were in a position to jump into the CACC Playoff picture with three games to go, but a loss to Holy Family on Valentines' Day effectively ended the playoff push. Holy Family eventually grabbed the No. 4 seed in the South.
Wilmington went 10-16 overall last season, including a 6-11 mark in the CACC. The 10 wins matched the single season record for the Wildcats, matching the 10 wins from the 2007-08 and 2009-10 seasons, since becoming an NCAA Division II affiliate.
Gallagher returns six letterwinners from a season ago, including three starters. Co-captains Herb Dennis and James Pee will lead the Wildcats and welcome seven newcomers to the roster.
Wilmington will begin its CACC portion of the schedule against USCiences on November 28 on the road, and will look to move ahead of Philadelphia, Goldey-Beacom, Chestnut Hill and Holy Family who were voted ahead of them in the CACC Preseason Poll, for one of four seeds into the CACC Tournament.
The Wildcats open their home schedule on Wednesday, as they host Kutztown in their first game in their new home, the WU Athletics Complex. Opening tip is scheduled for 7 p.m.
AGATE
2012 CACC MEN'S BASKETBALL PRESEASON POLL
NORTH DIVISION
1. Bloomfield – 86 (9)
2. Dominican – 77 (3)
3. Post – 59 (1)
4. Concordia – 50
5. Caldwell – 50
6. Felician – 25
7. Nyack – 12
SOUTH DIVISION
1. Philadelphia – 75 (11)
2. Goldey-Beacom – 54 (1)
3. Chestnut Hill – 50 (1)
4. Holy Family – 47
5. Wilmington – 23
6. USciences – 21