CARMEL, Ind. - The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) has released their annual Men's Basketball Preseason Poll this morning.  

Hanover College earned the first place spot this year in the poll, receiving eight first place votes.  After finishing 1^st in the conference during the 2021-2022 season, the Panthers are looking to keep their spot and to redeem themselves after losing to Franklin College in the HCAC tournament championship.  

Manchester was voted to finish 9^th in the conference this season, placing four votes behind Earlham College.  The Spartans will look to build off of their 8-16 record from last season, with their 11 returners and 11 newcomers.  Following the team poll, Manchester's young team had four sophomores listed on the HCAC Players to Watch list.  The four players are Quentez Columbus (South Bend, Ind./Adams), Ty Lynas (Crawfordsville, Ind./Crawfordsville), Bryant Smith (West Lafayette, Ind./Harrison), and Logan Willoughby (Greenwood, Ind./Whiteland Community).  

The Spartans will open their 2022-2023 season at Trine on November 8^th.  The home opener is scheduled for November 11^th against Kalamazoo College in Stauffer-Wolfe Arena.