Lewis Named CAA Preseason Player of the Year, Dukes Picked Ninth

RICHMOND, Va. - Senior guard Matt Lewis of the James Madison men's basketball team has been named the Colonial Athletic Association Preseason Player of the Year, as announced by the league as part of its men's basketball media day on Wednesday morning.

The Dukes were selected to finish ninth in the league by in a vote of the league's coaches, media relations directors and media members, while defending champion Hofstra was tabbed to repeat as champions, topping four different teams who received first-place votes.

Matt Lewis CAA Preseason Player of the Year

Matt Lewis CAA Preseason Player of the Year

Lewis, who returns as a senior with the fourth-most career points in JMU history, is JMU's first CAA Preseason Player of the Year on record. In his first three seasons at JMU, Lewis has already written himself into the program record books, scoring 1,574 points though his junior year, already fourth on the Dukes' all-time scoring chart. He also ranks sixth all-time at JMU with 195 career made three-pointers and third all-time with 411 made free throws.

This past season, Lewis set new career marks for field-goal percentage (41.0%), three-point percentage (37.3%), rebounding (5.5/game) and assists (3.4/game). For the year, Lewis was the only player in the CAA to rank among the league's top 12 in all three of scoring, rebounding and assists.

The Dukes are welcoming eight newcomers for the 2020-21 season, scheduled to tip off at noon on Nov. 25 against Lancaster Bible College. The Dukes return five letterwinners - including Lewis and fellow senior Zach Jacobs - for the first season under Byington, who was named to the helm in March, and the first campaign in the newly-constructed Atlantic Union Bank Center.

2020-21 CAA Preseason Poll
1. Hofstra (16) - 290
2. Delaware (11) - 270
3. Drexel (7) - 242
4. Towson (4) - 230
5. Elon - 215
6. College of Charleston - 196
7. Northeastern - 167
8. UNCW - 110
9. James Madison - 101
10. William & Mary - 69

2020-21 Preseason All-CAA Teams
First Team
James Butler - Gr. - F - Drexel
Isaac Kante - Jr. - F/C - Hofstra
Matt Lewis - Sr. - G - James Madison (Preseason Player of the Year)
Zane Martin - r-Sr. - G - Towson
Camren Wynter - Jr. - G - Drexel

Second Team
Ryan Allen - Sr. - G - Delaware
Kevin Anderson - Sr. - G - Delaware
Brevin Galloway - Sr. - G - College of Charleston
Hunter McIntosh - So. - G - Elon
Tyson Walker - So. - G - Northeastern

Honorable Mention
Tareq Coburn - Sr. - G - Hofstra
Luke Loewe - Sr. - G - William & Mary
Jalen Ray - Sr. - G - Hofstra
Jaylen Sims - Jr. - G - UNCW
Payton Willis - Sr. - G - College of Charleston
Hunter Woods - So. - G/F - Elon

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