2015-16 Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll, Preseason All-MAC Teams Announced



CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Central Michigan Chippewas & Akron Zips have been selected to win their respective divisions in the 2015-16 MAC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll. The poll was announced prior to the league's preseason media teleconference and was determined by a 23-member MAC News Media Panel.



The Chippewas also garnered 15 votes to win the MAC Men's Basketball Tournament. Ten of the league's top men's basketball players were also selected to the preseason All-MAC teams for the East and West Divisions as announced by the league office.



Central Michigan is coming off a season in which they finished with a record of 23-9 and won their first regular season championship since 2003. All five starters and most of the key reserves return as Head Coach Keno Davis enters his fourth season in charge of the program.



Toledo followed Central Michigan in the preseason rankings in second, while Western Michigan was selected to finish third. Eastern Michigan was picked to place fourth, while Northern Illinois and Ball State rounded out the West Division selections. The Chippewas garnered a unanimous 23 first place votes to win the division.



Under the guidance of 12-year head coach Keith Dambrot, the Akron men return four starters and 10 letterwinners from last season's squad that posted 21-plus wins for the 10th consecutive season, joining the likes of Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas, and Ohio State. Over the last 11 seasons, the Zips have won 252 games, the most by any team in the Mid-American Conference.



The Zips were followed in the East Division preseason predictions by Kent State, while Ohio was selected to finish third and Buffalo fourth. Miami was tabbed to finish fifth and Bowling Green sixth to round out this year's selections. Akron received 17 first place votes when it came to picking who would win the East crown.



The West Division preseason All-MAC representatives are Central Michigan teammate’s Chris Fowler & John Simons, Eastern Michigan’s Raven Lee, Toledo’s Nathan Boothe & Western Michigan’s Connar Tava.



The East Division All-MAC squad is comprised of Akron’s Pat Forsythe, Buffalo’s Lamonte Bearden, Kent State’s Jimmy Hall, Miami’s Eric Washington & Ohio’s Antonio Campbell.



The MAC regular season gets underway on Friday, November 13 as six MAC programs take the hardwood. Conference action begins on Tuesday, January 5 as teams will start to fight for position in the MAC Men's Basketball Tournament that will take place on March 9-12 at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.



2015-16 MAC East Division Predicted Order of Finish (first place votes)

1. Akron – 132 points (17)

2. Kent State – 116 (5)

3. Ohio — 69

4. Buffalo – 64 (1)

5. Miami — 60

6. Bowling Green — 42



2015-16 MAC West Division Predicted Order of Finish (first place votes)

1. Central Michigan — 138 points (23)

2. Toledo — 110

3. Western Michigan — 94

4. Eastern Michigan — 71

5. Northern Illinois — 37

6. Ball State — 33



Tournament Champion: Central Michigan (15), Akron (6), Buffalo (1), Kent State (1)



MAC East Division Preseason All-MAC Team

Pat Forsythe, Sr., C, Akron

Lamonte Bearden, So., G, Buffalo

Jimmy Hall, R-Jr., F, Kent State

Eric Washington, Sr., G, Miami

Antonio Campbell, Jr., F, Ohio



MAC West Division Preseason All-MAC Team

Chris Fowler, Sr., G, Central Michigan

John Simons, Sr., F, Central Michigan

Raven Lee, R-Jr., G, Eastern Michigan

Nathan Boothe, Sr., C, Toledo

Connar Tava, Sr., F, Western Michigan