MBB: IPFW Picked 6th In Preseason Poll

ELMHURST, Ill. - For the second straight year, IPFW senior guard Frank Gaines has been named to the Summit League Preseason All-League First Team, announced by The League office on Wednesday evening. As a team, IPFW was picked sixth.

The Mastodons earned 191 points according to the annual preseason poll of league coaches, SIDs, and media. South Dakota State was the overwhelming favorite, earing 390 points and 30-of-31 first-place votes. North Dakota State picked up the final first-place vote, earning 321 points and a second-position pick.

Oakland (310) and Western Illinois (274) were picked third and fourth, as IUPUI edged out the Mastodons with 193 points for fifth place. Kansas City (120), South Dakota (108), and Omaha (64) rounded out the nine teams in the league this season.

2012-13 marks the fourth straight season the 'Dons were picked to finish sixth in the league standings. IPFW's top preseason prediction was fifth in 2008-09, while the 2007-08 team was picked seventh, and the remaining four years just outside of the top five.

Last season Gaines was the first player in program history to be named to the Preseason All-League First Team, and he duplicated the honor after finishing ninth in NCAA Division I in scoring offense, averaging 21.2 points per game.

Gaines was joined on the first team by preseason Player of the Year Nate Wolters of South Dakota State, Travis Bader of Oakland, Ceola Clark and Terell Parks of Western Illinois, and Taylor Braun of North Dakota State. Earning second-team honors was Lawrence Alexander and Marshall Bjorklun of North Dakota State, Ian Chiles of IUPUI, Jordan Dykstra of South Dakota State, and Drew Valentine of Oakland.

Deilvez Yearby was the only other Mastodon player to make the Preseason All-League teams, when he was selected to the second team in 2009-10.

The Mastodons open their 2012-13 season on November 5 with a home exhibition against Alma College, before hitting the road for their regular-season opener on November 9 at Auburn.