OFFICIAL ODAC ANNOUNCEMENT

HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, Va. -- Hampden-Sydney College has been picked third in the 2024-25 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Men's Basketball Preseason Poll. The NCAA Division III National Championship Runner-Up and defending ODAC Tournament Champion Tigers earned 123 points, including two first-place votes among the 13 conference schools. The Garnet & Grey completed 2023-24 with a final overall record of 31-3, a new school record for wins, and won their record 11th ODAC Tournament Championship, while playing in a record 16th ODAC Tournament Title contest. It was the finest season in 25 years (1998-99, National Runner-Up, 29-3), while the first 30-win season and only the sixth 25-win season in program history.
 
"We have a lot of new faces this year, but the goal remains the same," said sixth-year head coach Caleb Kimbrough. "Looking forward to another fun year of Tiger basketball."
 
Randolph-Macon College was picked first with 137 points and seven first-place votes, while Guilford (NC) College was chosen second with 129 points and two first-place votes, as well. H-SC (third, 123, two) was followed closely by Virginia Wesleyan University in fourth with 120 points and the other two first-place votes, along with Roanoke College (97), Washington and Lee University (78), Shenandoah University (73), Ferrum College (69), Bridgewater College (67), the University of Lynchburg (52), Randolph College (29), Averett University (26) and Eastern Mennonite University (14). The Yellow Jackets (25-5) were picked seventh in the D3hoops.com Preseason Top 25, while the Quakers (26-5) were picked 17th and the Tigers were picked 23rd.
 
The Tigers feature nine returning team members, including one starter in All-American, fifth-year guard and third-year team captain Adam Brazil (Mooresville, NC), while the coaching staff has added another talented recruiting class of 10 newcomers. Brazil started 33 of 34 games last season, averaging 13.5 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists with 76 three-pointers. He shot 42% (158-378) from the field, including 40% (76-188) on three-pointers, and 88% (66-75) at the free throw line, adding 31 steals.
 
Among the returners are seniors Ayman McGowan (Memphis, TN) and Nick Shryock (Davidson, NC), along with junior team captain Shane Fernald (Charlotte, NC). Among the newcomers are a pair of Division II transfer student-athletes in juniors Hamilton Campbell (Wytheville) and team captain Colin Radcliffe (Richlands, NC), along with freshman Tugg Bizzelle (Baltimore, MD). McGowan, a 6-4 guard, averaged 3.9 points with 22 three-pointers. Shryock, another 6-4 guard, averaged 2.2 points and shot 58% from the field. Fernald, a 6-7 forward, averaged 5.1 points and shot 59% from the field—and averaged 10.0 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists during the six NCAA Tournament games, shooting 66% (27-41) from the field during the run to the national championship game. Campbell began his collegiate career at Lenoir-Rhyne (NC) University, and Radcliffe began at the University of Mount Olive (NC), while Bizzelle is a graduate of Calvert Hall College High School in Towson, Maryland.

Coach Kimbrough will be aided again this season by Bryson Gibson, promoted to associate head coach in May, while also in his sixth year with the program, third-year assistant coach Carson Long, along with first-year assistant coach Trevor Loscombe.

H-SC will open the 2024-25 regular season on the road at non-conference opponent Swarthmore (PA) College on Saturday, November 9, at 4 p.m. in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. The Tigers defeated the Garnet 67-46 last December 14, 2023 in S. Douglas Fleet Gymnasium at Kirby Field House. Swarthmore advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season and earned votes (29) in the recent preseason poll.
 

2024-25 ODAC MEN'S BASKETBALL PRESEASON POLL
(#) Denotes First Place Votes

1.	Randolph-Macon College (7)	137 pts.
2.	Guilford College (2)	129 pts.
3.	Hampden-Sydney College (2)	123 pts.
4.	Virginia Wesleyan University (2)	120 pts.
5.	Roanoke College	97 pts.
6.	Washington and Lee University	78 pts.
7.	Shenandoah University	73 pts.
8.	Ferrum College	69 pts.
9.	Bridgewater College	67 pts.
10.	University of Lynchburg	52 pts.
11.	Randolph College	29 pts.
12.	Averett University	26 pts.
13.	Eastern Mennonite University	14 pts.