WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The University of Delaware men’s basketball team was picked fifth while the Blue Hen women were selected seventh in the Colonial Athletic Association Basketball Preseason Polls announced Wednesday at the league’s Media Day at the ESPN Zone in Washington.

Defending regular season champion VCU was picked to win the men’s championship in a vote of the league’s coaches, sports information directors, and media. Northeastern was selected second while Old Dominion was third, George Mason was fourth, and Delaware was selected fifth. Georia State was picked sixth, followed by Hofstra, William & Mary, James Madison, Towson, UNC Wilmington and Drexel.

Delaware men’s senior guard Marc Egerson was named to the CAA Preseason First Team after earning All-CAA Third Team honors a year ago. Egerson, who started all 24 games for the Blue Hens after becoming eligible midway through last season, led the Blue Hens with 6.9 rebounds per game and ranked second with 13.4 points per contest. He reached double figures 18 times a year ago, when he ranked among the league leaders in rebounds, minutes played, free throw percentage, assists, points, and assist/turnover ratio.

Egerson was joined on the first team by CAA Preseason Player of the Year Eric Maynor of VCU, Matt Janning of Northeastern, Gerald Lee of Old Dominion, and Leonard Mendez of Georgia State. The second team consisted of Junior Hairston of Towson, Abdulai Jalloh of James Madison, Charles Jenkins of Hofstra, Larry Sanders of VCU, and John Vaughan of George Mason.

Juwann James of James Madison, David Schneider of William & Mary, and Josh Thornton of Towson were named preseason honorable mention.

Old Dominion, the 17-time defending conference champion, was again selected to win the women’s title in the 2008-09 season. VCU was picked second, followed by James Madisdon, Drexel, Towson and UNC Wilmington. The Blue Hens, led by Vanessa Kabongo (above) were picked seventh, ahead of Georgia State, Northeastern, William & Mary, Hofstra and George Mason.

The Preseason All-CAA First Team consisted of Preseason Player of the Year Gabriela Marginean of Drexel, Brittany Blackwell of UNC Wilmington, Dawn Evans of James Madison, Tiffany Green of Old Dominion, and Quanitra Hollingsworth of VCU. Shanae Baker-Brice of Towson, Jessica Canady of Old Dominion, Brittany Hollins of Georgia State, Sahsha Taylor of UNC Wilmington, and Jazzmin Walters of Old Dominion were selected to the second team.

Tiffany Benson of William & Mary, Danyielle McKeller of Georgia State, and Ashlee Feldman of Northeastern were named preseason honorable mention.

Both Blue Hen teams open their regular seasons at the Bob Carpenter Center on Sunday, November 16. The UD women host Columbia at 12 noon at the BCC, while the Delaware men will face Big East opponent Rutgers at 4 p.m.

2008-09 CAA Women’s Basketball Predicted Order Of Finish
1. Old Dominion
2. VCU
3. James Madison
4. Drexel
5. Towson
6. UNC Wilmington
7. Delaware
8. Georgia State
9. Northeastern
10. William & Mary
11. Hofstra
12. George Mason

2008-09 CAA Women’s Basketball Preseason All-Conference Teams

First Team
Brittany Blackwell, UNC Wilmington
Dawn Evans, James Madison
Tiffany Green, Old Dominion
Quanitra Hollingsworth, VCU
Gabriela Marginean, Drexel (CAA Preseason Player of the Year)

Second Team
Shanae Baker-Brice, Towson
Jessica Canady, Old Dominion
Brittany Hollins, Georgia State
Sahsha Taylor, UNC Wilmington
Jazzmin Walters, Old Dominion

Honorable Mention
Tiffany Benson, William & Mary
Danyielle McKeller, Georgia State
Ashlee Feldman, Northeastern