PSAC announces preseason men’s basketball coaches’ poll; Haven opens season Nov. 10
LOCK HAVEN, PA – The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) released the 2023-24 Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ polls on Thursday, and the Lock Haven men’s basketball team was picked sixth of nine teams in the PSAC Eastern Division.
Lock Haven was voted a preseason favorite to reach the postseason, as the top-six schools in each division land a berth to the PSAC Championship Tournament.
East Stroudsburg received five of the nine first-place votes and was picked as the favorite by the coaches in the PSAC Eastern Division. West Chester picked up three first-place votes and was slotted second, while Millersville rounded out the top-three. Shepherd, who earned one first-place vote, was picked fourth, Shippensburg was slotted fifth, which slotted Lock Haven at sixth. Kutztown, Bloomsburg and Mansfield round out the remaining positions in the East.
In the Western Division, Indiana (Pa.) (five) and California (Pa.) (four) landed all the first-place votes and were positioned at first and second with Mercyhurst coming in at third.
The Bald Eagles are coming off a 17-12 overall record and 12-10 mark in 2022, which saw them clinch the fifth seed in the PSAC Eastern Division Tournament, where they upset No. 4 seed Millersville, earning their first postseason win in 33 years. Their Cinderella story run ended in the semifinals against top-ranked Shippensburg.
The Bald Eagles finished last season in ranked in the top-10 of the PSAC in scoring (9th, 72.6), field goal percentage (9th, 0.447), opponent field goal percentage (7th, 0.428), rebounding (8th, 36.3) and turnover margin (6th, 1.52).
Under the direction of 12th-year head coach Mike Nestor, Lock Haven will open the 2023-24 season on the road by competing in the Bowie State Tip-Off Classic in Bowie, Maryland on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 10-11. The Bald Eagles start the weekend by facing Bowie State at 7 p.m. on Friday before wrapping up the weekend on Saturday at 2 p.m. against Fayetteville State.
Brian Oleksiak enters his 12th season as the assistant coach of the Bald Eagles men’s basketball program in 2023-24.
The Bald Eagles open their home schedule against non-conference opponent Roberts Wesleyan at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 16. They follow with a pair of home PSAC East-West crossover battles against Pitt-Johnstown and IUP on Friday-Saturday, Dec. 1-2.
In all, 12 of Lock Haven’s 27 contests will come at home. Over the last two seasons, The Haven finished 7-5 at home last season.
The Bald Eagles continue conference crossover action to close out December with road contests at Seton Hill (Dec. 18), California (Pa.), before hosting Slippery Rock on Dec. 30. Lock Haven wraps up its battles in the West by visiting Clarion on Wednesday, Jan. 3.
The Bald Eagles open Eastern Division play on Saturday, Jan. 6 at 3 p.m. when they host West Chester University inside Thomas Fieldhouse. To view the entire 2023-24 schedule, click here.
Eastern Division (Number of 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 (Number of 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
