WEST BABYLON, N.Y. (Oct. 21, 2021) – The Mercy College men's basketball team has been picked to finish seventh in the East Coast Conference (ECC) Preseason Coaches' Poll, as announced by the conference office earlier today. The top six teams at the end of the season qualify for the ECC Tournament.

St. Thomas Aquinas received six of 10 first place votes to top the poll and Daemen was picked second. Daemen's Andrew Sischo was selected as the league's Preseason Player of the Year.

Mercy went 2-5 during the COVID-19 shortened season in 2020-21, qualifying for the ECC Tournament for the first time since 2016. The Mavericks earned their first win over Molloy since 2018 and their largest win over the Lions since 2005. The Mavericks went 5-21 during their last full season in 2019-20.

Head Coach Michael Maczko and the Mavericks return eight student-athletes from last year's team and welcome four newcomers. Leading the returners is senior James Taylor Jr. who averaged 14.4 points per game last season and 2.3 assists per game. Junior Garrett Kirkland averaged 8.3 points per game and junior Brandon Wilson posted 6.7 points per game.

Mercy opens their 2021-22 season on Wednesday, November 17th at home against Post at 7 p.m.