NEWARK, N.J. (October 24, 2023) – The Northeast Conference announced their 2023-24 Preseason accolades Tuesday afternoon as Stonehill College men's basketball was picked to finish sixth in the conference poll while graduate student Max Zegarowski (South Hamilton, Mass.) was named to the Preseason All-NEC Men's Basketball Team.
The Skyhawks, led by head coach Chris Kraus who embarks on his tenth season at the helm, opens its 2023-24 season in the nation's capital against George Washington University on Monday, November 6 before returning home for the first game at Merkert Gym when Army West Point travels to North Easton on Thursday, November 9.
In Stonehill's first season in the NEC, the Skyhawks rattled off 10 wins in conference play as they finished in a tie for second place in the regular season standings after being voted to place eighth out of eight teams in last year's preseason poll. Among their 10 wins included a regular season sweep of this year's preseason favorite, Sacred Heart, who received seven of the nine first-place votes in this season's poll.
Stonehill is now eligible for the NEC playoff tournament with their conference schedule beginning on Thursday, January 4 when they host Central Connecticut State University. With three of their five starters from the 2022-23 team graduating, the Skyhawks will look to Zegarowski to build off his All-NEC Third Team honors from a season ago.
Zegarowski, under the guidance of Kraus, who was also named the Jim Phelan NEC Coach of the Year in 2022-23, will be the defacto leader of the team and was recognized as such by the conference as he was named to the All-NEC Preseason team. The 6'8 forward averaged 12.6 points per game while making 70 three-point field goals on a 41.9% shooting clip last season, good for the second-highest three-point percentage in the NEC.
The graduate student from South Hamilton, Mass. stepped up his shot making when it came to league action as his three-point percentage jumped to an impressive 45.6% mark in NEC play. He averaged 2.26 made baskets from long-range per game, good for the second most per outing in the conference.
PRESEASON ALL-NEC TEAM RELEASE
Tickets for the 2023-24 season will also be available for purchase online following a future announcement. All Stonehill home games will be broadcast live on NEC Front Row - the NEC's digital broadcast platform.
For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Fans can also download the Stonehill Skyhawks "Front Row" mobile app, powered by PrestoSports, on iTunes and the Android Market.
