SOMERSET, N.J. – The defending Northeast Conference champion Fairleigh Dickinson men's basketball team was picked as the top team in Wednesday's NEC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll. The poll was announced at the Barclays Center on Wednesday morning at NEC Media Day.
 
In addition to the team earning the first-place selection, junior guard Darian Anderson (Washington, D.C./St. John's College ) and junior forward Earl Potts Jr. (Severn, Md./Archbishop Spalding ) were both named to the Preseason All-NEC Team.
 
The Knights earned six first-place votes in the poll, which is voted on by the conference's 10 head coaches. Rounding out the top three spots were last year's regular season champions Wagner College, who received four first-place votes and Bryant, who finished ninth in the conference last season. LIU Brooklyn and Mount St. Mary's tied for fourth in the poll.  
 
"Honestly, I think being picked to win the conference has more to do with last year's performance than anything else. We have to remain focused on what we need to improve upon this year," said fourth-year head coach Greg Herenda. "Last year we weren't picked very high and we did not think about it at all and our approach is the same this year."

After being projected to finish ninth last season, the Knights markedly disproved expectations by registering an 11-7 conference record and capturing the No. 2 seed. The 2015-16 Knights led the conference in scoring at 77.5 points per game as Potts Jr. and Anderson were named All-Northeast Conference Second Team. Additionally, Potts Jr. was tabbed the conference's Most Improved Player, while Mike Holloway (Pittsgrove, N.J./Arthur P. Schalick ) was named to the NEC All-Rookie Team.

"We need to continue to improve defensively and on the glass, while playing better offensively." Herenda added, "Our conference is extremely balanced -- from top to bottom and there is very little separation. The hungry dog hunts best and we need to continue to be hungry and we will get what we deserve."
 
This season, Herenda returns of 11 of his 13 players from last season's NEC Champion roster. The Knights open the 2016-17 season at the defending Big East Champion Seton Hall on Thursday, November 11. The team's first home game is set for November 15 against FDU-Florham and conference play begins on December 29 against Saint Francis U.
 
2016-17 NEC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
1. Fairleigh Dickinson (6)
2. Wagner (4)
3. Bryant
4. LIU Brooklyn
    Mount St. Mary's
6. Robert Morris
7. St. Francis Brooklyn
8. Sacred Heart
9. Saint Francis U
10. Central Connecticut
 
2016-17 NEC Men's Basketball Preseason All-NEC Team
 
Darian Anderson (Washington, D.C./St. John's College ), FDU, G, 6-1, 170 lbs., Jr.
Michael Carey, WC, G, 6-5, 200 lbs., Sr. 
Jerome Frink, LIU, F, 6-7, 230 lbs., R-Sr. 
Corey Henson, WC, G, 6-3, 175 lbs., Jr.
Earl Potts Jr. (Severn, Md./Archbishop Spalding ), FDU, G/F, 6-6, 200 lbs., Jr.