Sept. 30, 2014
EASTON, Pa. - The Lafayette men's basketball team was selected to finish second behind Holy Cross in the Preseason Patriot League basketball rankings produced by Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook. Senior Seth Hinrichs was also chosen as the Preseason Player of the Year and member of the Preseason All-League team.
The Blue Ribbon Yearbook was started in 1996 and its publications are widely used by CBS, ESPN, college play-by-play announcers, print media, coaches, and NFL and NBA scouts.
Coming off an 11-20 season a year ago when the Leopards went just 6-12 in Patriot League play, a rebound is expected for the Maroon and White with its best player healthy again for his senior season. Hinrichs, a Second Team All-League honoree in 2012 and an All-Rookie choice during his freshman campaign, was limited to 19 games in 2013-14 due to a left knee injury and sat out 11 games from mid December through late January, including the Leopards' first eight Patriot League contests.
His return to the starting lineup during the second half of conference play ignited a turnaround in Lafayette's season. The Leopards went 6-3 with Hinrichs in the starting five after opening the League season with an 0-9 mark.
For the year, Hinrichs led Lafayette in scoring (16.7 ppg) and rebounding (5.9 rpg) and posted career-highs in both categories. The Clara City, Minn. native scored 28 points in back-to-back games against Yale (11/26) and Penn (11/30) and finished the regular season with 14 career 20-point games.
Blue Ribbon Yearbook's projection for the league standings and all-league squad are shown below.
Preseason Rankings
1. Holy Cross
2. Lafayette
3. American
4. Army
5. Bucknell
6. Boston U.
7. Lehigh
8. Colgate
9. Loyola
10. Navy
Preseason All-League Team
G- Darius "Pee Wee" Gardner, Sr., American
G- Kyle Wilson, Jr., Army
G- Chris Hass, Jr., Bucknell
F- Malcolm Miller, Jr., Holy Cross
F- Seth Hinrichs, Sr., Lafayette
Preseason Player of the Year
Seth Hinrichs, Sr., Lafayette
Preseason Newcomer of the Year
Kahron Ross, Fr., Lehigh
