MELBOURNE, Fla. – The Sunshine State Conference released its 2023-24 Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll on Tuesday afternoon, ranking the Lynn University men's basketball team 10th out of 11 schools. The Fighting Knights received 28 total votes, just three shy of 9th place.
 
Led by Head Coach Jeff Price, the Fighting Knights won four games in a rebuilding year in 2022-23, as 9 of the 15 players on the roster were freshmen. Lynn finished in 10th place in the conference last season and will look to improve after a roster overhaul in the off-season. After adding in five experienced transfers, combined with the young talent already on the roster, the Fighting Knights could surprise in the 2023-24 season.
 
Lynn returns the reigning SSC Freshman of the Year in forward Nordin Kapic. The Austrian forward averaged 19.3 points, 10.4 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game on 53/37/75 splits in 2022-23 and will look to make another leap in his sophomore season.
 
Coach Price reloaded his roster with five talented, veteran transfers this off-season. Guards Brad McCabe, Tradavis Thompson, Joshua Sasser and Quentin Toles, along with forward Ben Gahlert, will look to bolster a unit that was 10th in points per game and 11th in three-point percentage in the SSC in 2022-23. All five transfers were prolific scorers last season at their previous destinations.
 
The Fighting Knights also return three pieces that played 24+ minutes per game last season in guard Jamison Evans, guard Jalen Gilmore and forward Rickey Ballard. In addition, the Fighting Knights welcome back last year's freshmen in Noah Kattan, JP Baron and Ryan Weeks, as well as junior Mason Schwaber and incoming freshman Austin Vick.
 
The Fighting Knights open its season on Saturday, Nov. 11 against Johnson University-Florida at 4:00 p.m. at home.
 
2023-24 SSC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll

1. Florida Southern – 94 (6)
2. Nova Southeastern – 94 (5)
3. Embry-Riddle – 78
4. Saint Leo – 71
5. Tampa – 60
6. Palm Beach Atlantic – 50
7. Rollins – 45
8. Barry – 42
9. Florida Tech – 31
10. Lynn – 28
11. Eckerd – 12