Atlantic 10 preseason poll: Dayton picked to finish where it ended last season

The league’s 14 head coaches and select media members voted the poll.

The top three of the poll mirrors the standings last season. Virginia Commonwealth is the preseason favorite and received 19 first-place votes after winning the regular-season title with a 16-2 mark. Davidson was picked to finish second and received eight first-place votes. It finished 14-4 last season. Dayton finished third at 13-5 last season.

Rhode Island was picked fourth and was followed by St. Bonaventure, Richmond, Saint Louis, Duquesne, George Mason, La Salle, Massachusetts, George Washington, Saint Joseph’s and Fordham.

Dayton redshirt sophomore forward Obi Toppin was named to the preseason all-conference first team, while junior point guard Jalen Crutcher made the second team.

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Dayton was picked sixth last season and finished third, while VCU was picked seventh and won the regular-season championship.

In 24 seasons in the A-10, Dayton has finished better than its preseason position in the poll 11 times. It has finished worse 10 times. Three times, including the only two seasons it won the regular-season championship, it finished right where voters expected it to finish.

Fans can see the Flyers for the first time at 5 p.m. Nov. 2 when they play Cedarville in an exhibition game.

Dayton plays outside competition for the first time Saturday in a closed-door scrimmage against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Fifth Third Arena.

PRESEASON POLL (First-place votes in parenthesis)

1. VCU (19), 381

2. Davidson (8), 359

3. Dayton (1), 341

4. Rhode Island, 283

5. St. Bonaventure, 280

6. Richmond, 248

7. Saint Louis, 225

8. Duquesne, 196

9. George Mason, 185

10. La Salle, 133

11. Massachusetts, 103

12. George Washington, 93

13. Saint Joseph’s, 65

14. Fordham, 48

PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM

Kellan Grady, Davidson

Jon Axel Gudmundsson, Davidson

Obi Toppin, Dayton

Cyril Langevine, Rhode Island

Jacob Gilyard, Richmond

Marcus Evans, VCU

PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM

Jalen Crutcher, Dayton

Justin Kier, George Mason

Jeff Dowtin, Rhode Island

Grant Golden, Richmond

Kyle Lofton, St. Bonaventure

Hasahn French, Saint Louis

PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE THIRD TEAM

Sincere Carry, Duquesne

Fatts Russell, Rhode Island

Osun Osunniyi, St. Bonaventure

Jordan Goodwin, Saint Louis

De'Riante Jenkins, VCU

Marcus Santos-Silva, VCU

PRESEASON ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM

Cyril Langevine, Rhode Island

Jacob Gilyard, Richmond

Osun Osunniyi, St. Bonaventure

Hasahn French, Saint Louis

Marcus Evans, VCU