Hocking Men’s Basketball and Owens Women’s Basketball are preseason favorites according to the OCCAC head basketball coaches voting. The Hawks corralled four first-place votes while five other men’s programs split the remaining top selections. The Express had a stronger hold atop the women’s preseason rankings, bringing in 60 percent of the first-place tallies.
For the men – Edison State, Lakeland, Bryant & Stratton (OH), Cuyahoga and Clark State all received a first-place vote, and came in 2nd through 6th overall.
Edison State was selected second in the women’s preseason rankings as well, just above Hocking rounding out the top-3.
COACHES PRESEASON POLL – MEN’S BASKETBALL
1. Hocking (4)
t-2. Edison State (1)
t-2. Lakeland (1)
4. Bryant & Stratton (1)
5. Cuyahoga (1)
6. Clark State (1)
7. Terra State
8. Lorain County
9. Owens
COACHES PRESEASON POLL – WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
1. Owens (3)
2. Edison State (1)
3. Hocking (1)
4. Bryant & Stratton
5. Lakeland
6. Clark State
7. Terra State
8. Cuyahoga
*Lorain County is not competing in varsity women’s basketball for the 2022-23 season
PRESEASON ALL-OCCAC – MEN’S BASKETBALL
Malcolm Sims Jr. – Terra State
Deveyous Terrell – Owens
Bennett Sulen – Lorain
Jaidon Lipscomb – Lakeland
Trevell Adams – Hocking
Devonte Curry – Edison State
Jordan Persad – Cuyahoga
Giovanni Roberts – Clark State
Larry Reynolds – Bryant & Stratton
PRESEASON ALL-OCCAC – WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Madison Fueger – Lakeland
Ella Hoehne – Edison State
Olivia Howard – Terra State
Ayendia Kimble – Clark State
QuiMari Shelton – Cuyahoga
Abby Spalding – Bryant & Stratton
Hayley St. John – Owens
Jada White-McConnell – Hocking
PRESEASON ALL-DEFENSE TEAM – MEN’S BASKETBALL
Charles Knuckles – Terra State
Lamont Allen – Owens
Lem Payne – Lorain
Jonah Waag – Lakeland
Chris Peoples – Hocking
Kendyll Toney – Edison State
Immanuel Hill – Cuyahoga
Wendall Hughes – Clark State
Tareeq Roper – Bryant & Stratton
PRESEASON ALL-DEFENSE TEAM – WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Matea Bartel – Edison State
Zion Fussell – Lakeland
Myah Goodman – Terra State
Haylee Gunter – Clark State
Ashley Little – Cuyahoga
Mariah Maxie – Hocking
Taylor Starks – Owens
Destinee White – Bryant & Stratton
PRESEASON NEWCOMER TEAM – MEN’S BASKETBALL
Brendan Reynolds – Terra State
Michael Varanese – Owens
Jaden Woods – Lakeland
Brandon Fisher – Lorain
Dennis Asoro – Hocking
Jesse Dixon – Edison State
Devin Haid – Cuyahoga
Myles Burney – Clark State
Jaylyn Barnes – Bryant & Stratton
PRESEASON NEWCOMER TEAM – WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Kiersten Cook – Terra State
Makayla Gordon – Lakeland
Paxton Hunley – Edison State
Alayna Miller – Owens
Taeja Morrow – Clark State
Beyonce Muschett – Cuyahoga
Kourtnee Smith – Hocking
Ocean Summers – Bryant & Stratton