Winthrop, Mass. – The Albertus Magnus College men's basketball team received six of 10 first-place votes to land atop the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Preseason Poll. The poll, which is voted on by the league's 10 head coaches, was released on Monday afternoon.

The Falcons received six first-place votes to earn 96 total points and finish five points ahead of defending conference champion and second-place Johnson & Wales. The Wildcats received three first-place votes in the poll and Lasell landed in third with the final first-place vote and 74 points. It marked the seventh time in the past eight years that Albertus Magnus was tabbed as the preseason GNAC favorite.

Albertus Magnus has its sight set on a return to the Big Dance and a conference crown with a strong core of returning players and talented first-year players hitting the hardwood this year.

Rounding out the top-five were Mount Ida with 61 points and Saint Joseph's (Maine) with 55. Numbers six through 10 in the poll were Emmanuel (53 points), Anna Maria (42 points), Norwich (37 points), Suffolk (26 points) and Rivier (15 points). 

Albertus Magnus opens the 2016-17 campaign on Tuesday, November 15, at 7:00 pm with a road non-conference clash versus No. 3 Babson inside Staake Gymnasium. The contest will mark the first-ever meeting between the Falcons and the Beavers.

Founded in 1995, the GNAC is an NCAA Division III association made up of 12 member institutions and over 3,000 student-athletes across the New England region. Each year, the GNAC sponsors and administers 17 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunities and community involvement.

For the latest information on the men's basketball team and Albertus Magnus athletics, follow AMCAthletics on Twitter and visit AlbertusFalcons.com.

OFFICIAL RELEASE

2016-17 GNAC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
1. Albertus Magnus (6) – 96
2. Johnson & Wales (3) – 91
3. Lasell (1) - 74
4. Mount Ida – 61
5. Saint Joseph's Maine – 55
6. Emmanuel – 53
7. Anna Maria – 42
8. Norwich - 37
9. Suffolk – 26
10. Rivier - 15