Oct. 9, 2009

Garden City, N.Y. - Entering its first season in the Northeast-10 Conference, the Adelphi University men's basketball team has been chosen as a possible breakthrough team in 2009-10, according to The Sporting News.

The Panthers are coming off back-to-back 20-win seasons after posting a 20-9 overall record and a 14-5 mark in East Coast Conference play last season.

Junior tri-captain Richard Byrd (Central Islip, N.Y.) was named to The Sporting News preseason Honorable Mention All-America Team. The two-time All-ECC guard and 2008 ECC Rookie of the Year, led the Panthers in scoring (16.6 ppg) and rebounding (6.4 rpg). Byrd was also named All-Met Division II Men's College Basketball First-Team last season.

The Panthers open up their season on the road at Division I Loyola University Maryland on Monday, November 16 at 7:00 pm.

NCAA Division II Preview

Top 10
1. Bellarmine
2. BYU-Hawaii
3. Central Missouri
4. Valdosta State
5. Bentley
6. Indiana (Pa.)
7. Grand Valley State
8. Humboldt State
9. Cal Poly Pomona
10. St. Cloud State

Possible Breakthroughs
Adelphi, Arkansas Tech, Augusta State, Barton, Bridgeport, Cal State-San Bernardino, Central Oklahoma, Central Washington, Christian Brothers, Dallas Baptist, Findlay, Florida Southern, Johnson C. Smith, Kutztown, Le Moyne, Massachusetts-Lowell, Merrimack, Metropolitan State, Minnesota State-Mankato, Northern Kentucky, Philadelphia, Saint Anselm, Seattle Pacific, Southern Indiana, Southwest Baptist, Southwest Minnesota State, Tarleton State, Tusculum, Virginia Union, West Liberty State, Western Washington and Winona State.

All-America Team
First
Lucas Alves, BYU-Hawaii
Tyrone Curnell, Valdosta State
Darren Duncan, Merrimack
Matt Rogers, Southwest Baptist
Jason Westrol, Bentley

Second
Brandon Brown, Cal State-San Bernardino
Kendrick Easley, Mount Olive
Laurence Ekperigin, LeMoyne
Aaron Hill, Rockhurst
Ben Madgen, Augusta State

Honorable Mention
Morris Anderson, Western Washington
Daniel Bailey, Queens
Chris Banchero, Seattle Pacific
Thomas Baudinet, Saint Anselm
Gerald Brooks, Indiana (Pa.)
Brandon Byerson, Virginia Union
Richard Byrd, Adelphi
Pierce Caldwell, Incarnate Word
Rashad Callaway, Tampa
Duke Crews, Bowie State
Stephen Dennis, Kutztown
L.J. Dunn, Barton
Russell Frederick, Philadelphia
Chris Hall, Lynn
Braydon Hobbs, Bellarmine
Malcolm Ingram, Philadelphia
David Johnson, Winona State
Justin Keenan, Ferris State
Dustin Maguire, Northern Kentucky
Darin Mency, Merrimack
Kyle Moore, Tusculum
Travis Nelson, Minnesota State-Mankato
Marcus Parker, Findlay
Matt Schneck, St. Cloud State
Jamar Smith, Southern Indiana
John Thompson, Florida Southern
Zac Tiedeman, Humboldt State
Sanjay Watts, Central Missouri
Darryl Webb, Indiana (Pa.)
Marques Whippy, BYU-Hawaii
Taylor Witt, St. Cloud State