Iona's David Laury Named MAAC Preseason Player of the Year
MAAC Sports
Edison, N.J. - Iona College senior forward David Laury has been named the 2014-15 MAAC Men’s Basketball Preseason Player of the Year and headlines the Preseason All-MAAC First Team, as selected by the league's 11 head coaches.
A unanimous selection to the preseason first team, East Orange, New Jersey native, Laury has guided the Iona Gaels to consecutive appearances in the MAAC Championship title match, including a league crown in 2013. The 6-9 senior averaged 14.0 points, 8.3 rebounds (fourth in the MAAC), 2.3 assists, and 1.2 blocks (eighth in the MAAC) per contest in route to being selected to the 2013-14 All-MAAC Second team. Laury also ranked fourth in the league with eight double-doubles last year. He was a member of the MAAC All-Tournament Teams in 2013 and 2014 and was also a member of the 2012-13 All-MAAC Third team.
Laury is joined on the preseason first team by teammate junior A.J. English, Quinnipiac University’s forward Ousmane Drame, Saint Peter’s University’s forward Marvin Dominique, and Siena College’s guard Rob Poole.
Iona’s junior A.J. English enters the 2014-15 season as the only returning member of the 2013-14 All-MAAC First Team. The 6-4 guard finished last season averaging 17.2 points per game ranking him sixth in scoring and averaging 4.3 assists good for third in the MAAC. The Wilmington, Delaware native also made 84 three-point field goals (third in the MAAC) and recorded a 1.5 assists to turnover ratio (sixth in the MAAC). English is also the returning leader in minutes played after playing 36.6 minutes per outing last season.
Quinnipiac’s 6-9 forward Ousame Drame joins Laury as the only other unanimous selection to the preseason first team. In 2013-14, Drame helped lead Quinnipiac to a nations best 11.8 rebounding margin, while he led the league and ranked eighth nationally with a 10.5 rebounds per game average. The native of Boston, Massachusetts led the league with 6.7 defensive rebounds per contest and ranked second in offensive rebounds (3.8) and blocked shots (2.1) in route to an All-MAAC Second Team selection last season. Drame also finished second in the conference with 15 double-doubles last year.
Saint Peter’s senior Marvin Dominique, was a member of the All-MAAC Third Team during his first season in the MAAC after sitting out one season due to transfer regulations. The 6-7 forward from Miramar, Florida paced the Peacocks with 16.6 points, good for seventh in the conference, and 8.9 rebounds, third in the MAAC. Dominique also ranked fourth in the league in both offensive rebounds per game (3.0) and defensive rebounds per game (5.9) in 2013-14.
Senior Rob Poole of Siena College helped guide the Saints to the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) title in 2013-14. The Cherry Hill, New Jersey native led his team and ranked 14th in the MAAC with a 14.6 points per game average. The 6-6 guard also made 131 free-throws, good for seventh in the league, and shot a free-throw percentage of .766, good for 14th in the conference during his 2013-14 campaign. Poole was selected to the 2013-14 All-MAAC Third Team last season.
The preseason second team features Manhattan College’s senior Emmy Andujar, Marist College teammate’s sophomore Khallid Hart and senior Chavaughn Lewis, Quinnipiac University’s senior Zaid Hearst, and Saint Peter’s senior Desi Washington.
Members of the preseason third team include Fairfield University’s junior Marcus Gilbert, Iona College’s junior Isaiah Williams, Manhattan College’s junior Ashton Pankey, Monmouth University’s junior Deon Jones, Rider University’s sophomore Jimmie Taylor, and Siena College’s junior Brett Bisping.
2014-2015 Preseason All-MAAC Teams
First Team
A.J. English, Iona, Jr., G, 6-4, Wilmington, Del.
David Laury, Iona, Sr., F, 6-9, East Orange, N.J.*
Ousmane Drame, Quinnipiac, Sr., F, 6-9, Boston, Mass.*
Marvin Dominique, Saint Peter’s, Sr., F, 6-7, Miramar, Fla.
Rob Poole, Siena, Sr., G, 6-6, Cherry Hill, N.J.
Second Team
Emmy Andujar, Manhattan, Sr., F, 6-6, Bronx, N.Y.
Khallid Hart, Marist, So., G, 6-2 Newark, Del.
Chavaughn Lewis, Marist, Sr., G/F, 6-5, Queens, N.Y.
Zaid Hearst, Quinnipiac, Sr., G, 6-4, Bethesda, Md.
Desi Washington, Saint Peter’s, Sr., G, 6-2, Harrisburg, Pa.
Third Team
Marcus Gilbert, Fairfield, Jr., F, 6-6, Smyrna, Del.
Isaiah Williams, Iona, Jr., G, 6-7, Newark, N.J.
Ashton Pankey, Manhattan, Jr., F, 6-10, Bronx, N.Y.
Deon Jones, Monmouth, Jr., G, 6-6, Wilmington, Del.
Jimmie Taylor, Rider, So., G, 6-3, Branford, Fla.
Brett Bisping, Siena, Jr., F, 6-8, Peoria, Ill.
Preseason Player of the Year
David Laury, Iona
*Denotes unanimous selection