Drexel picked 8th in CAA, hopes to surprise people

BALTIMORE - Bruiser Flint thinks his Drexel team could be a mystery to anyone outside the program.

"We have a lot of unknowns because a lot of guys got hurt," the coach said Tuesday at the Colonial Athletic Associations's media day, referring to last season's 11-19 finish.

The Dragons were picked to finish eighth in the 10-team conference in a vote of CAA coaches, media relations directors, and media members.

The Drexel women were picked second behind defending champion James Madison.

"We only have one new player," Flint said, referring to 6-foot-2 freshman guard Terrell Allen. "But everyone else back has played at least 15 or 20 minutes a game because of all the injuries. Hopefully, we can stay a little healthy and things will happen for us."

Flint heads into his 15th season at Drexel with a 239-192 record.

Senior Tavon Allen, a 6-7 senior guard and the Dragons' leading returning scorer at 11.2 points per game, drew an honorable mention behind the preseason first and second all-CAA teams. Damion Lee, who averaged 21.4 points and 6.1 rebounds a game, still had a year of eligibility left but transferred to Louisville.

Flint expects the conference race to be as competitive as it was last season, when Northeastern won the CAA tournament. Drexel finished the regular season in a tie for sixth.

The Hofstra men, picked to finish first, are coached by former La Salle star Joe Mihalich, who is beginning his third season with the Pride. His son Joe Jr. is an assistant on new Penn coach Steve Donoahue's staff. The elder Mihalich was an assistant at his alma mater from 1981 to '98 and was also the men's head coach at Niagara.

Three players on the men's first team are Philadelphia-area products, including player of the year Juan'ya Green of Hofstra, an Archbishop Carroll graduate and transfer from Niagara. The Pride's Ameen Tanksley, another Niagara transfer, is a graduate of Imhotep Charter, and Ron Curry of James Madison is a Paul VI graduate from Pennsauken.

Additionally, Towson's John Davis on the second team is a graduate of Neumann-Goretti.