WATERVILLE, Me. (November 5, 2021) - At long last, the SUNY Delhi men's basketball team makes their return to competition after over a year-and-a-half wait when they head to Castleton this Sunday for a 3:00 p.m. tipoff. It comes at a good time, as the program settles into their new home in the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) and as full-time NCAA Division III members. Seventh-year head coach Zack Thomsen and company looks to generate similar success that has driven him to 83 career wins and back-to-back ACAA titles in 2019 and 2020, including one USCAA National Tournament appearance in the latter. The Broncos were ranked third in the NAC West Preseason Poll, garnering 25 points and one first-place vote. Only defending conference champ SUNY Canton (30 points, two first-place and votes) and SUNY Poly (26 points, two first-place votes) rank ahead of Delhi.
The 2021-22 year also marks the long-awaited arrival of SUNY Poly, Cazenovia, and SUNY Cobleskill to the NAC. The five aforementioned schools and Northern Vermont Johnson comprise the NAC West Division. Cazenovia was ranked fourth in the preseason predictions with 21 points and one first-place votes, Cobleskill fifth with 13 points, and NVU Johnson with 11. The Broncos squared off with all but SUNY Poly during their last season of competition in 2019-20, winning all four matchups on their way to a 21-7 season, their first 20-plus win season in their modern NCAA Division III era and first overall since 2013-14. Sunday's season opener will mark SUNY Delhi's first competitive game in 605 days (Mar. 12, 2020).
Coach Thomsen returns seven student-athletes from the 2019-20 program, tabbing Mavenson Therneus, Norman Wilson, and Erhunosere Uwuigbe (also known as Prince) as his team captains. Therneus was a USCAA All-American Honorable Mention and All-ACAA First Team selection, ranking third on the team with 10.4 ppg. and a team-best 52.3 field goal percentage (112-for-214). Wilson was an ACAA Athlete of the Week selection who averaged 8.7 ppg. in 16.0 minutes per game, leading the team with a 3-point field goal percentage of 42.2 at 35-for-83. Uwuigbe, a former transfer from Kingsborough CC, contributed to Delhi's depth in 2019-20, averaging 3.3 ppg. and 2.4 rpg. in 6.5 minutes per game. His top performance was aginst Pratt on Feb. 1, 2020, nearly netting a double-double with ten points and eight rebounds in 11 minutes of action, shooting 4-of-5 from the floor with one 3-pointer.
Another key player from the 2019-20 season is back with SUNY Delhi this year, albeit in a new role. Justin Daoud begins his first season as Thomsen's assistant coach after serving as a vital member of the championship 2018-19 and 2019-20 programs, earning USCAA Second Team All-American and ACAA Tournament MVP in the latter. Originally a transfer from Herkimer CC, Daoud played in 52 games for Delhi with 42 starts at guard, becoming the first of the Broncos' four seniors in 2019-20 to reach 1,000 career points between his times at both colleges, finishing with 1,155 points for most all-time, along with 683 career boards.
The NAC East Preseason Poll is as follows: Husson (36, six first-place votes), Maine Farmington (29), NVU Lyndon (22), Maine Presque Isle (18), Maine Maritime (11), and Thomas (10). The Broncos will play four of them in crossover play, beginning home with Maine Maritime on Jan. 8 and Thomas Jan. 9 then on the road at Lyndon Jan. 14 and Maine Farmington Jan. 15. The NAC West Tournament is slated for the weekend of Feb. 18 and 19 at the top seed's site, then the overall league championship versus the East winner on Feb. 26.
