BURNSVILLE, Minn. -- Coming off back-to-back trips to The Pentagon in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference postseason over the past two seasons, the Winona State University men's basketball program was picked to finish third in the South Division in the 2020-21 NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll. In addition, standout Kevion Taylor was Southern Division Preseason Player-of-the-Year.
The Warriors return multiple starters from a season ago, including the versatile Taylor, a First-Team All-NSIC selection as a junior who has played in 90 career games at WSU. In 2019-20, Taylor finished as the only NSIC men's basketball player to place in the NSIC Top 10 in scoring, 3-pointers per contest and rebounding.
Taylor, a senior from Milwaukee, Wis., is poised to continue to add onto his Warrior record book tallies in several categories, including total points (1,368), 3-Point Field Goals Made (214) and career 3-Point Shooting Percentage (40.23).
Winona State completed the 2019-20 season at 18-12 overall and 14-8 in the NSIC. In addition to the 11 returning letter winners from a season ago, the Warriors added standout talent via the transfer portal, with Owen King (Caledonia, Minn.) and Alou Dillon (Wauwatosa, Wis.), both of whom came to Winona State from South Dakota State. WSU also added five true freshmen to the team in what looks to be a stellar recruiting year.
Senior guard Devin Whitelow (Peoria, Ill.) looks to lead a potent Warrior attack that includes 6'9" Andrea Lo Biondo, a versatile inside-outside threat now in his second year at Winona State. The veteran Warrior squad will also look to Alec Rosner to build on his 2019-20 campaign in which he started 28 contests and logged the third most minutes (948) on the team.
Head Coach Todd Eisner heads into his sixth season with the program while totaling an 78-68 record with the Warriors and a 495-234 overall career mark.
In the coaches' poll, Winona State garnered one first-place pick and 36 points total, while No. 1 Augustana (46 pts.) claimed four first-place votes and runner-up Sioux Falls (41 pts.) earned three top-team nods. Minnesota State-Mankato and Upper Iowa finished with 31 and 30 points, finishing fourth and fifth, respectively. Southwest Minnesota State and Wayne State rounded out the Southern Division poll.
NSIC coaches rank each team from one to 15 with a first-place vote receiving 15 points, second place 14, third place 13, etc. Coaches do not rank their own team or vote for their own players.
2020-21 NSIC Preseason Men's Basketball Southern Division Coaches' Poll
1. Augustana (3) 46 points
2. Sioux Falls (2) 41 points
3. Winona State (1) 36 points
4. Minnesota State 31 points
5. Upper Iowa 30 points
6. Concordia St. Paul 26 points
7. Southwest Minnesota State 14 points
8. Wayne State 11 points
In a revised 2020-21 NSIC schedule released on Dec. 8, Winona State is set to tip-off the 2020-21 season Saturday, Jan. 2 on the road at the University of Minnesota-Duluth for a two-game series. WSU's first home action will be on Friday, Jan. 15, hosting the University of Sioux Falls in McCown Gymnasium, home to WNB Financial Court. In 2020-21, NSIC programs will play exclusively against Conference foes, with two non-division contests and 14 in-division games. WSU will play the same opponent on back-to-back days each week, with the regular season set to conclude on Feb. 20.
For the most current news in Warrior Athletics, please visit: www.WINONASTATEWARRIORS.com and @WinonaStateATH.
About Winona State University Athletics:
The Winona State University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, as an integral part of the educational mission of the institution, is committed to offering opportunities to experience academic and athletic excellence for our student-athletes through two simple words: Graduate Champions.
Fourteen Warrior programs compete at the NCAA Division II level within the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). Winona State University competes as an affiliate member of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) in the sport of women's gymnastics.
Media Contact: Pete Watkins, Director of Athletic Communications | Ph: 507.457.5577 | Email: pwatkins@winona.edu
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