Full NSIC 2013-14 Preview

University of Minnesota Duluth senior center Brett Ervin was named the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) North Division Preseason Player of the Year and the Bulldogs were tabbed for a third-place finish in the NSIC Preseason Coaches' poll released Wednesday.

Ervin started 25 of 26 games for UMD last season on his way to All-NSIC Second Team honors. He finished sixth in the NSIC in scoring with a 16.2 points per game average and  his .466 shooting percentage from beyond the arc was tops in the conference.  He was UMD's leading scorer in nine games and tied his career-best scoring output  with 27 points vs. Concordia-St. Paul on Jan. 18. He posted 20-plus points in ten games played and earned a double-double with 15 points and a career-high 13 boards in the Bulldogs' 71-69 win against U-Mary on Jan. 5.

Minnesota State's Assem Marei was cited as the top player to watch in the South Division.

UMD earned 115 points in the overall NSIC poll for an eighth-place ranking. Minnesota State University Mankato received 15 of 16 first-place votes to earn the top nod in the league and the South division. St. Cloud State received seven of eight first-place votes to land the first position in the North. SCSU was tied for second with Winona State in the overall league standings.

The Bulldogs open their season on Nov. 9 with an exhibition match-up against NCAA III University of Wis.-Stout at 4:00 p.m. at Romano Gym. They begin NSIC play on the road Nov. 30 against St. Cloud. UMD takes on preseason no. 1 Minnesota State on Jan. 4 in Mankato.