2010-11 Titans Should Start Season as Top 10 Team

Hello Titan fans, and welcome to the 2010-11 season. It's hard to believe, but we're just 3 weeks away from the start of practice!

As a voter in the D3hoops.com Top 25 poll since its inception, I've recently been analyzing the national picture in anticipation of the preseason poll in a few weeks. I've posted some of my findings on the D3hoops.com Top 25 message board, and will also post here.

Below is a look at what teams 1-12 from the final 2009-10 poll return (and lose). I think you'll find that Illinois Wesleyan looks to be a pretty safe bet for a spot in the Top 10 of the preseason poll.

There is a lot of reason to be excited about 2010-11...this is going to be a very fun season!

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#1 UW-Stevens Point (29-4 overall, 12-4 WIAC, national champion) – West
Starters Returning: (4) F Louis Hurd, 6-5 SR (12.5 ppg, 4.1 rpg),G Jared Jenkins, 6-4 SR (11.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg), F Scott Hoelzel, 6-6 SR (8.2 ppg, 5.7 rpg), F Nick Krull, 6-7 SR (5.5 ppg, 3.6 rpg)

Starters Lost: (1) PG Matt Moses, 6-2 (14.7 ppg, 4.3 rpg)

Top Returning Reserve: PG Jerel Harris, 5-10 SO (7.7 ppg, 1.8 rpg)


#2 Williams (30-2 overall, 9-0 NESCAC, national 2nd place) – Northeast
Starters Returning: (2) G James Wang, 6-0 JR (17.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 4.4 apg), F Harlan Dodson, 6-8 SR (6.2 ppg, 2.3 rpg)

Starters Lost: (3) G/F Blake Schultz, 6-3 (19.2 ppg, 4.3 rpg), G Alex Rubin, 6-4 (9.5 ppg, 1.9 rpg), C Joe Geoghegan, 6-8 (7.1 ppg, 8.0 rpg)

Top Returning Reserve: C Troy Whittington, 6-5 SR (11.1 ppg, 6.2 rpg)


#3 Guilford (30-3 overall, 14-2 ODAC, Final 4) – South
Staters Returning: (2) F Martin Stephenson, 6-4 SR (6.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg), G T.C. Anderson, 6-0 SR (4.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg)

Starters Lost: (3) C Tyler Sanborn, 6-9 (19.9 ppg, 14.1 rpg), G Clay Henson, 6-2 (17.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3.1 apg), G Rhett Bonner, 6-1 (14.6 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3.0 apg)

Top Returning Reserve: G Josh Pittman, 6-1 SO (6.9 ppg, 2.6 rpg)


#4 Eastern Mennonite (25-5 overall, 14-2 ODAC) – South
Starters Returning: (5) G/F Todd Phillips, 6-3 SR (17.4 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 3.1 rpg), G/F D.J. Hinson, 6-4 SR (15.9 ppg, 3.9 rpg), G George Johnson, 5-10 SR (15.0 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 3.2 apg), F Eli Crawford, 6-2 SR (12.2 ppg, 7.1 rpg), F Orie Pancione, 6-5 SR (7.9 ppg, 5.5 rpg)

Starters Lost: none

Top Returning Reserve: G/F Andrew Thorne, 6-4 SO (3.5 ppg, 2.0 rpg)


#5 Randolph-Macon (26-7 overall, 11-5 ODAC, Final 4) - South
Starters Returning: (5) F Brandon Braxton, 6-5 SR (11.5 ppg, 5.1 rpg), G Eric Pugh, 6-0 SR (10.6 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 3.2 apg), G/F Jordan Brown, 6-4 SR (10. 2 ppg, 3.4 rpg), G Calvin Croskey, 6-0 JR (8.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg), G/F Kevin Voelkel, 6-5 SR (2.7 ppg, 6.1 rpg)

Starters Lost: none

Top Returning Reserve: F Danny Jones, 6-6 SR (13.0 ppg, 4.8 rpg)


#6 Washington U. – St. Louis (24-3 overall, 13-1 UAA) - Midwest
Starters Returning: (1) F Spencer Gay, 6-6 SR (9.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg)

Starters Lost: (4) G Aaron Thompson, 6-4 (17.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg), PG Sean Wallis, 6-3 (12.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 7.7 apg), F Cameron Smith, 6-5 (7.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg), C Zach Kelly, 6-7 (5.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg)

Top Returning Reserve: F Caleb Knepper, 6-6 SR (7.2 ppg, 2.7 rpg)


#7 Whitworth (26-3 overall, 16-0 NWC) – West
Starters Returning: (2) F David Riley, 6-5 SR (13.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg), G Clay Gebbers, 6-1 SR (5.6 ppg, 3.2 rpg)

Starters Lost: (3) C Nate Montgomery, 6-8 (16.8 ppg, 8.3 rpg), G Eric Beal, 5-11 (14.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 5.7 apg), F Bo Gregg, 6-5 (11.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg)

Top Returning Reserve: F Jack Loofburrow, 6-6 JR (8.0 ppg, 2.7 rpg)


#8 Wooster (25-6 overall, 15-1 NCAC) – Great Lakes
Starters Returning: (4) G Ian Franks, 6-4 SR (17.9 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 3.3 apg), G Nathan Balch, 6-1 SR (11.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg), F/C Bryan Wickliffe, 6-5 SR (11.2 ppg, 7.2 rpg), F Justin Hallowell, 6-7 JR (9.0 ppg, 5.8 rpg)

Starters Lost : (1) G Brandon Johnson, 6-2 (6.1 ppg, 2.4 rpg)

Top Returning Reserve: G Matt Fegan, 6-1 JR (6.2 ppg, 2.0 rpg)


#9 UW-Whitewater (23-6 overall, 13-3 WIAC) – West
Starters Returning: (2) G Phil Negri, 6-3 SR (8.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg), F Alex Edmunds, 6-4 JR (7.2 ppg, 4.7 rpg)

Starters Lost: (3) C Dustin Mitchell, 6-9 (18.0 ppg, 8.7 rpg), G Dupree Fletcher, 6-2 (14.0 ppg, 2.7 rpg), F Mike Bendall, 6-6 (10.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg)

Top Returning Reserve: G Nolan Free, 6-1 SO (6.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg)


#10 Carthage (24-6 overall, 12-2 CCIW) - Midwest
Starters Returning: (4) PG Steve Djurickovic, 6-3 SR (24.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 7.3 apg), C Tyler Pierce, 6-5 SO (12.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg), G Max Cary, 6-3 JR (10.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg), F Mitch Thompson, 6-6 SO (6.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg),

Starters Lost: (1) G Cody Hilton, 5-11 (3.6 ppg, 1.7 rpg)

Top Returning Reserve: G Malcom Kelly, 6-0 SO (7.6 ppg, 2.8 rpg)


#11 Franklin & Marshall (26-5 overall, 15-3 Centennial) – Mid-Atlantic
Starters Returning: (4) F James McNally, 6-6 SR (18.4 ppg, 8.5 rpg), G Georgio Milligan, 6-2 JR (13.0 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 4.9 apg), F Mike Baker, 6-6 SR (9.0 ppg, 6.7 rpg), G Justin Driver, 6-0 SR (2.5 ppg, 0.8 rpg)

Starters Lost: (1) G Anthony Brooks, 6-2 (12.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 3.4 apg)

Top Returning Reserve: G Steve Tolliver, 6-2 SR (6.4 ppg, 2.8 rpg)


#12 Illinois Wesleyan (23-8 overall, 10-4 CCIW) - Midwest
Starters Returning: (5) G Sean Johnson, 6-1 SR (17.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.1 apg), C Doug Sexauer, 6-7 SR (15.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg), F Jordan Zimmer, 6-5 JR (9.0 ppg, 3.6 rpg), PG Travis Rosenkranz, 6-0 SR (8.2 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 4.1 apg), F John Koschnitzky, 6-6 JR (5.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg)

Starters Lost: none

Top Returning Reserve: C Ryan Connolly (6.4 ppg, 2.7 rpg), 6-9 JR