Pack garners third place ranking in preseason poll

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Pack coach Patrick Eberhart saw that others shared his high expectations for the year, as the CSU-Pueblo men's basketball team was picked to finish third in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference's West Division, according to the RMAC Coaches' Preseason Poll released today.

The ThunderWolves, which finished the 2006-07 season with a 13-15 overall record and a 9-10 mark in conference play, received the high ranking based the merits of its four returning starters: Julien Franklin, Ty McTyer, Brian Sewald, and Jake Trahern, who was selected as a member of the RMAC's all-West Division Preseason team, as well today.

Coach Eberhart said that the respect the Pack has gained in the poll showed the team must up the ante and compete.

"We have high expectations this year," Eberhart said. "We are returning four starters, including Jake Trahern, and we are going to ride them as far as we can."

The Pack will open the regular season on Nov. 16 with a game against Newman at the Colorado State Fair Events Center.