Kempton and Ross earn preseason honors as Lehigh predicted to win Patriot League
10/26/2016 2:34:00 PM | Men's Basketball, Tickets
Complete Patriot League Release
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Senior Tim Kempton has been named the Patriot League preseason Player of the Year for a third straight season while junior Kahron Ross was also named to the Preseason All-Patriot League Team, as announced by the league on Wednesday. In addition, the Lehigh men's basketball team was picked first in the preseason poll, garnering 161 points and 17 of the 20 first-place votes in a vote by the league's coaches and Sports Information Directors.
Following Lehigh in the poll was Boston University with 139 points and three first-place votes. Bucknell came in third at 132 points followed by Holy Cross (115), American (86), Colgate (83), Loyola (69), Navy (49), Lafayette (43) and Army West Point (23). Joining Kempton and Ross on the preseason All-League Team was Eric Fanning (Boston University), Nana Foulland (Bucknell), Delante Jones (American) and Andre Walker (Loyola). There were six players recognized due to a tie in the voting.
If he wins Patriot League Player of the Year following the season, Kempton would become the first player in league history to win the award three times. He has already become just the third player in Patriot League history to earn the award twice by his senior season – the others being C.J. McCollum and Adonal Foyle (Colgate), who both went onto NBA careers.
Kempton is also a two-time honorable mention All-American and two-time NABC first team All-District honoree. One of the premier big men in the country, he was one of just 20 student-athletes nation-wide named to the watch list for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year. Kempton impressed from day one at Lehigh and has continued to take his game to the next level. Each and every year, his numbers have increased, most recently posting 17.7 points and 9.5 rebounds as a junior. Kempton's 13 double-doubles last season were good for 47th nationally, and included a stretch of eight double-doubles in nine games which helped spring Lehigh to its 11-game winning streak.
Ross was also named a first team All-Patriot League honoree last season when the point guard broke the school mark for assists in a season (194). He finished the year averaging 11.2 points and 2.8 rebounds. Ross turned up his game in February, which coincided with Lehigh's historic winning streak. Included was a pair of career-high 24-point efforts at Bucknell and Navy.
Only two years into his collegiate career, Ross owns 369 career assists, already just 57 from entering the top five in school history. He also enters the 2016-17 season 24th in the nation in career assists among active players, and number one in his class.
Lehigh is hard at work at practice leading into the 2016-17 season opener at Xavier on Nov. 11, a No. 2 seed in the 2016 NCAA Tournament. The Mountain Hawks then travel to another NCAA team from a season ago in Yale before hosting Princeton, who is coming off an NIT berth. Lehigh also faces Mississippi State, Arkansas State and La Salle to wrap up a challenging November slate.
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Team (1st Place votes), Points
1. Lehigh (17) 161
2. Boston University (3) 139
3. Bucknell 132
4. Holy Cross 115
5. American 86
6. Colgate 83
7. Loyola Maryland 69
8. Navy 49
9. Lafayette 43
10. Army West Point 23
Preseason Player of the Year
Tim Kempton, Lehigh, Sr., F/C
First Team
Tim Kempton, Lehigh, Sr., F/C
Eric Fanning, Boston University, Sr., G
Nana Foulland, Bucknell, Jr., C
Kahron Ross, Lehigh, Jr., G
*Delante Jones, American, So., G/F
*Andre Walker, Loyola Maryland, Jr., G
*denotes a tie in the voting for the fifth spot.
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Senior Tim Kempton has been named the Patriot League preseason Player of the Year for a third straight season while junior Kahron Ross was also named to the Preseason All-Patriot League Team, as announced by the league on Wednesday. In addition, the Lehigh men's basketball team was picked first in the preseason poll, garnering 161 points and 17 of the 20 first-place votes in a vote by the league's coaches and Sports Information Directors.
Following Lehigh in the poll was Boston University with 139 points and three first-place votes. Bucknell came in third at 132 points followed by Holy Cross (115), American (86), Colgate (83), Loyola (69), Navy (49), Lafayette (43) and Army West Point (23). Joining Kempton and Ross on the preseason All-League Team was Eric Fanning (Boston University), Nana Foulland (Bucknell), Delante Jones (American) and Andre Walker (Loyola). There were six players recognized due to a tie in the voting.
If he wins Patriot League Player of the Year following the season, Kempton would become the first player in league history to win the award three times. He has already become just the third player in Patriot League history to earn the award twice by his senior season – the others being C.J. McCollum and Adonal Foyle (Colgate), who both went onto NBA careers.
Kempton is also a two-time honorable mention All-American and two-time NABC first team All-District honoree. One of the premier big men in the country, he was one of just 20 student-athletes nation-wide named to the watch list for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year. Kempton impressed from day one at Lehigh and has continued to take his game to the next level. Each and every year, his numbers have increased, most recently posting 17.7 points and 9.5 rebounds as a junior. Kempton's 13 double-doubles last season were good for 47th nationally, and included a stretch of eight double-doubles in nine games which helped spring Lehigh to its 11-game winning streak.
Ross was also named a first team All-Patriot League honoree last season when the point guard broke the school mark for assists in a season (194). He finished the year averaging 11.2 points and 2.8 rebounds. Ross turned up his game in February, which coincided with Lehigh's historic winning streak. Included was a pair of career-high 24-point efforts at Bucknell and Navy.
Only two years into his collegiate career, Ross owns 369 career assists, already just 57 from entering the top five in school history. He also enters the 2016-17 season 24th in the nation in career assists among active players, and number one in his class.
Lehigh is hard at work at practice leading into the 2016-17 season opener at Xavier on Nov. 11, a No. 2 seed in the 2016 NCAA Tournament. The Mountain Hawks then travel to another NCAA team from a season ago in Yale before hosting Princeton, who is coming off an NIT berth. Lehigh also faces Mississippi State, Arkansas State and La Salle to wrap up a challenging November slate.
Like Lehigh men's basketball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content, team updates and more.
Team (1st Place votes), Points
1. Lehigh (17) 161
2. Boston University (3) 139
3. Bucknell 132
4. Holy Cross 115
5. American 86
6. Colgate 83
7. Loyola Maryland 69
8. Navy 49
9. Lafayette 43
10. Army West Point 23
Preseason Player of the Year
Tim Kempton, Lehigh, Sr., F/C
First Team
Tim Kempton, Lehigh, Sr., F/C
Eric Fanning, Boston University, Sr., G
Nana Foulland, Bucknell, Jr., C
Kahron Ross, Lehigh, Jr., G
*Delante Jones, American, So., G/F
*Andre Walker, Loyola Maryland, Jr., G
*denotes a tie in the voting for the fifth spot.
Players Mentioned
C/F
/ Men's Basketball
G
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