Oct. 22, 2008

Washington, D.C. - The George Mason men's basketball team has been picked to finish fourth in the Colonial Athletic Association in the upcoming 2008-09 season, as selected by the league's coaches, sports information directors and media. The results of the poll were announced during Wednesday's CAA Basketball Media Day at the ESPN Zone in Washington D.C.

The Patriots, CAA Champions in 2008, return three starters and eight lettermen. Included in those returnees is John Vaughan, a fifth-year senior who was selected preseason second-team All-CAA. Mason was 23-11 last year and made the postseason for the sixth time in the past 10 years. Since Jim Larranaga came to Fairfax 11 years ago, Mason leads the CAA in overall wins, conference wins and postseason wins.

Earning the mantle as the preseason favorite is VCU while Northeastern was second and Old Dominion was third. Following Mason in the preseason poll are Delaware in fifth, Georgia State in sixth, Hofstra in seventh and William & Mary in eighth. Rounding out the poll are James Madison in ninth, Towson in 10th, UNC Wilmington in 11th and Drexel 12th.

Eric Maynor of VCU was chosen as the Preseason Player of the Year, the second straight year he's earned that honor. Last year he lived up to the billing earning the Player of the Year award as Mason's Will Thomas finished as runner-up. Joining Maynor on the preseason All-CAA first team are Marc Egerson of Delaware, Matt Janning of Northeastern, Gerald Lee of Old Dominion and Leonard Mendez of Georgia State. Mason was the only team in the top six not to have a player chosen preseason first-team All-CAA.

Joining Vaughan on the second team are Junior Hairston of Towson, Abdulai Jalloh of James Madison, Charles Jenkins of Hofstra and Larry Sanders of VCU. William & Mary, UNC Wilmington and Drexel were the only schools not to have a player named first or second team. William & Mary's David Schneider did receive preseason honorable mention along with James Madison's Juwann James and Towson' Josh Thornton.