NORFOLK, Va. - Howard University sophomore James Daniel was selected as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) men’s basketball Preseason Player of the Year the conference announced on Monday. The defending regular season and tournament champion North Carolina Central Eagles was picked to win the 2014-15 MEAC regular season title. All awards are voted on by the conference’s head men’s basketball coaches and sports information directors.

Daniel’s led the MEAC in scoring last year averaging 21.0 points per game in 28 outings, 11^th best in the nation. He reached in double figures in every game and topped the conference in made 3-pointers (88) and finished second in 3-point field goal percentage, hitting 40-percent of his attempts.  Daniel’s posted 20 or more points in 12 games, including 30+ point outings in four games. He earned nine Rookie of the Week honors last year and was named the MEAC’s Rookie of the Year.  He was also selected to the All-MEAC third team.

North Carolina Central received 15 first-place votes and totaled 317 points to take hold of the conference’s top spot. The Eagles finished 15-1 in conference play and 28-6 overall last year. NCCU ranked in the top five in many MEAC categories, including scoring offense (1^st), scoring margin (1^st), assists (1^st), field-goal percentage (2^nd), field-goal percentage defense (2^nd), 3-point field goal percentage defense (2^nd), 3-point field goal percentage (2^nd), rebounding defense (5^th) and blocked shots (5^th). The Eagles recorded their first Division I tournament victory in the 2014 MEAC Championship and finished the season with a loss to Iowa State, 93-75, in the second round of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament.

The Eagles welcome back eight returners in addition to three transfers, and two newcomers.

Hampton was predicted to finish second with 304 total points. The Pirates was last year’s regular season runners-up and finished with a conference mark of 13-3 and an overall record of 18-13.  Morgan State was selected to finish third, while Norfolk State received the fourth place spot.  Delaware State was selected to finish fifth with Coppin State at sixth place.

Savannah State (7^th), Howard (8^th), North Carolina A&T (9^th), Bethune-Cookman(10^th), Maryland Eastern Shore (11^th), South Carolina State (12^th), and Florida A&M (13^th) round out the 2014-15 preseason poll.

Joining Daniel’s on the Preseason All-MEAC First Team are Deron Powers (Hampton), Taariq Cephas (Coppin State), Jordan Parks (N.C. Central), and Kendall Gray (Delaware State).

The 2014-15 MEAC men’s basketball regular season tips off Friday, November 14 with 10 teams in non-conference action. 

The 2014-15 MEAC Basketball Tournament is slated for March 9-14 at the Norfolk Scope Arena in Norfolk, Va.

For more information on MEAC Men’s Basketball, log on to www.MEACsports.com.