BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Fairleigh Dickinson junior guard
Jahlil Jenkins was a unanimous selection to the Preseason All-NEC Men's Basketball Team as announced by the conference at its social media day at the Barclays Center on Wednesday morning. The league also announced its preseason poll, which picked the defending champion Knights to finish fourth.
"I am extremely happy that Jahlil is being recognized as one of our conference's elite players," remarked seventh-year head coach
Greg Herenda. "The torch is now passed on to him, Kaleb, Elyjah and Xzavier but he certainly is the straw that stirs the drink. What sets Jahlil apart is the size of his heart -- I've coached so many great point guards and he is fearless. This honor is very well deserved."
The Knights are coming off a historic 2018-19 campaign, which culminated in the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament game win an 82-76 victory over Prairie View A&M in Dayton, Ohio.
After posting a 12-6 record in NEC play and nabbing a share of the conference's regular season crown, the Burgundy and Blue took care of business in the NEC Tournament by defeating Wagner, Robert Morris and Saint Francis U to take home the 2019 championship. The title was the team's second in the past four years as the team finished with a 21-14 overall mark.
Jenkins earns the nod after a breakout sophomore season, which saw him average 13.6 points points per game with a team-high 4.5 assists and 1.6 steals per contest. The West Virginia native, who led the NEC in minutes per game, netted NEC All-Tournament Team honors as the Burgundy and Blue captured the NEC title. Jenkins followed his outstanding NEC Tournament run with a historic performance in the Knights' NCAA Tournament game victory, scoring 20 of his 22 points in the second half as the team advanced in the "Big Dance" for the first time.
The Knights were picked fourth in Wednesday's poll but received two, first-place votes. LIU, who won the NEC two years ago, earned the top spot and collected five, first-place votes, while Sacred Heart and Saint Francis U rounded out the top three spots.
2019-20 NEC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
1. LIU (5)
2. Sacred Heart (3)
3. Saint Francis U (1)
4. Fairleigh Dickinson (2)
5. Robert Morris
6. Bryant
7. Mount St. Mary's
8. St. Francis Brooklyn
9. Wagner
10. Central Connecticut
11. Merrimack
2019-20 Preseason All-NEC Men's Basketball Team
E.J. Anosike (Sacred Heart) Junior, Forward | East Orange, NJ/Paramus Catholic (St. Thomas More)
*Keith Braxton (Saint Francis U) Senior, Guard | Glassboro, NJ/Delsea (Lawrenceville School)
*Raiquan Clark (LIU) – Senior, G/F | New Haven, CT/Hillhouse
Adam Grant (Bryant) – Senior, Guard |Franklin, Va./Norfolk Collegiate School
*Jahlil Jenkins (FDU) – Junior, Guard | Ranson, W.Va./Virginia Academy
