JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Atlantic Sun Conference announced its 2024-25 Men's Basketball preseason awards on Thursday as voted on by the league's 12 head coaches. Lipscomb is favored to capture this year's ASUN Championship after receiving a combined 35 first-place votes across the preseason coaches and media polls.
The Bisons went 20-12 overall last season and reached the ASUN Championship Quarterfinals. Lipscomb garnered eight first-place votes in the coaches poll and topped the rankings with a total of 138 points. Austin Peay ranked second in the coaches poll with 110 points and secured two first-place votes. The Governors reached the ASUN Championship Final last March under the leadership of first-year Head Coach Corey Gipson. EKU, the reigning ASUN Regular Season Champion, was the second-place selection in the media poll after entering last season's tournament as the top seed.
After making 30 starts last season and earning a Third Team All-ASUN selection, Jacksonville's Robert McCray V was selected as the Preseason Player of the Year. He averaged 18.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game last season for the Dolphins and helped Jacksonville advance to the ASUN Championship Semifinals as the #10 seed with an ASUN postseason-record 91 points in three games played.
Keeshawn Kellman was named the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year after averaging 7.0 rebounds per game in his first season with FGCU. The graduate student ended his 2023-24 campaign ranked second in the nation in field goal percentage (.684) after playing and starting in all 32 of the Eagles' contests.
2024-25 Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Lipscomb (8) 138
2. Austin Peay (2) 110
3. North Alabama (1) 108
4. EKU 106
5. Jacksonville 98
6. FGCU 94
7. North Florida (1) 74
8. Stetson 69
9. Queens 44
10. Bellarmine 38
11. Central Arkansas 37
12. West Georgia 20
First-place votes in parentheses
2024-25 Men's Basketball Preseason Media Poll
1. Lipscomb (27) 602
2. EKU (6) 538
3. Austin Peay (9) 524
4. FGCU (3) 435
5. North Alabama (3) 427
6. Stetson (3) 386
7. North Florida (1) 375
8. Jacksonville (3) 339
9. Queens 250
10. Central Arkansas 173
11. Bellarmine 156
12. West Georgia 85
First-place votes in parentheses
2024-25 Men's Basketball Preseason All-ASUN Team
Devontae Blanton, EKU^
Keeshawn Kellman, FGCU^
Jacob Ognacevic, Lipscomb^
Will Pruitt, Lipscomb^
Isaac Haney, Austin Peay
Sai Witt, Austin Peay
Ben Johnson, Bellarmine
Robert McCray V, Jacksonville
Jacari Lane, North Alabama
Daniel Ortiz, North Alabama
^ - denotes a unanimous selection to the Preseason All-ASUN Team