The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) has revealed the 2021-22 Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll and Preseason All-MAAC Teams, announced tonight during the MAAC Preseason Awards Show on ESPN3. Defending champions, Iona College was unanimously selected as the favorites to claim the MAAC crown in 2021-22, as voted on by the league’s 11 head coaches.

Saint Peter’s KC Ndefo was voted the 2021-22 MAAC Preseason Player of the Year. Last season, Ndefo claimed his second-consecutive MAAC Defensive Player of the Year award after leading the nation in blocked shots and finishing eighth in the league in steals. The 6-foot-7 Elmont, New York native led the Peacocks and posted career-highs with 342 points, 162 rebounds, 91 blocks and 38 assists while appearing in 25 games. Ndefo was also a 2020-21 unanimous All-MAAC First Team honoree and helped the Peacocks to the No. 3 seed in the MAAC Championship and a semifinals appearance at the MAAC Championship. The unanimous 2020-21 MAAC Defensive Player of the Year finished last season with a Saint Peter’s-leading 13.7 points per contest, 3.6 blocks per game and 1.4 steals per outing. Throughout the course of his career, the senior forward has also been named a Lefty Driesell Defensive All-American, the 2019-20 MAAC Sixth Player of the Year, and is a two-time All-MAAC Selection. 

Joining Ndefo on the Preseason All-MAAC First Team were Nelly Junior Joseph of Iona, George Papas from Monmouth, Marcus Hammond of Niagara, and Dwight Murray Jr. from Rider. 

The Preseason All-MAAC Second Team features Manhattan’s Warren Williams, the Quinnipiac duo of Kevin Marfo and Jacob Rigoni, Rider’s Dimencio Vaughn, and Saint Peter’s Daryl Banks III. The Preseason All-MAAC Third Team includes Malek Green from Cansiuis, Fairfield’s Jake Wojcik, Ant Nelson of Manhattan, Marist’s Ricardo Wright, and Shavar Reynolds Jr. from Monmouth.

Below is the full poll and preseason honors list: