Central Islip, N.Y. – The defending ECC Champion, C.W. Post Pioneers, were named to the top spot in the ECC Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll, as voted upon by the league’s coaches. Senior guard Stefan Bonneau from C.W. Post has been named the Preseason Player of the Year.
In 2010-11, the Pioneers finished with a 21-10 record and advanced to their fifth straight appearance in the ECC Championship Final. C.W. Post defeated Bridgeport 68-64 in the ECC Final to win their third ECC title in four years and also advance to the NCAA East Regional. The Pioneers earned five out of nine first place votes for 74 points.
Bridgeport, after an ECC Regular Season Championship and 19-9 record a season ago, earned three first place votes in the preseason poll to finish four points behind C.W. Post.
Conference newcomer, University of the District of Columbia received the final first place vote, finishing with 65 points to rank third in the poll.
Bonneau was named the Preseason Player of the Year after earning last year’s Player of the Year honor. He was an offensive force in his first season as a Pioneer, leading the conference in scoring at 18.9 ppg. Bonneau also was deadly from outside the arc, leading the conference in three-point field goal percentage (.449).
2011-2012 Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll
| Team | Points | Last Year's Record |
| 1. C.W. Post (5) | 74 | 21-10 (16-5 ECC) |
| 2. Bridgeport (3) | 70 | 19-9 (18-3 ECC) |
| 3. District of Columbia (1) | 65 | 11-15 (n/a) |
| 4. Queens | 54 | 20-8 (16-5 ECC) |
| 5. Molloy | 43 | 9-18 (9-12 ECC) |
| 6. NYIT | 42 | 13-15 (10-11 ECC) |
| 7. Dowling | 28 | 8-19 (8-13 ECC) |
| 8. St. Thomas Aquinas | 18 | 5-21 (5-16 ECC) |
| 9. Mercy | 11 | 2-24 (2-19 ECC) |
( ) - first place votes
Preseason Player of the Year - Stefan Bonneau, C.W. Post (Sr., G, 5-10)
