William Paterson University has been selected as the favorite to win the 2006-07 New Jersey Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Championship in a preseason poll of the league’s ten head coaches. The defending NJAC Champion Pioneers will be seeking their 10th conference crown since 1971-72.

William Paterson finished the 2005-06 season with a 23-8 overall record including a 13-4 mark against league competition. The Pioneers captured the 2005-06 NJAC Tournament Championship and won three NCAA Tournament contests while advancing to the fourth round of the National Championship Tournament.

Paterson was the unanimous choice to place first in the North Division and received all 10 of the coaches’ picks to capture the overall conference championship. Led by 12th-year head coach Jose Rebimbas, the Pioneers have posted a record of 223-104 during his tenure. William Paterson returns one all-conference player from its 2005-06 NJAC championship squad in senior forward Luis Martinez.

Rowan University, which finished 12-13 overall in 2005-06, was selected to finish first in the South Division. Eleventh-year head coach Joe Cassidy has guided the Profs to an overall mark of 192-75 during his tenure in Glassboro. Rowan returns one all-conference performer in junior forward Matt Byrnes.

The coaches’ dark horse selection, Rutgers-Newark was tapped to place second in the North Division. The Scarlet Raiders return a pair of all-conference performers from a squad that finished 18-10 overall last season in senior forward Jermont Horton and the NJAC Co-Rookie of the Year in sophomore guard Chadd Barnes. Led by sixth-year head coach Joe Loughran, Newark has produced an overall record of 65-67 during his tenure.

Richard Stockton College, which posted an 18-10 overall record in 2005-06, was selected to finish second in the South Division. In his 21st season at the helm of the Osprey program, head coach Gerry Matthews has produced an overall mark of 386-169 in Pomona.

Ramapo College, which advanced to the 2005-06 NJAC Championship Game after winning the conference crown in 2004-05, was selected to place third in the North Division. Led by ninth-year head coach Chuck McBreen, the Roadrunners have accumulated an overall mark of 148-71 during his tenure. Ramapo returns a pair of all-conference guards in junior Ahmad Mosby and senior Antoine Pryor.

Led by new first-year head coach Sean Drennan, Kean University was selected to place third in the South Division. The Cougars finished 15-13 overall in 2005-06 en route to an appearance in the ECAC Metro NY/NJ Tournament Championship Game.

New Jersey City University, led by 25th-year head coach Charlie Brown, was selected to finish fourth in the North Division. The longest tenured of all NJAC men’s basketball coaches, Brown has accumulated an overall mark of 464-208 with NJCU. The Gothic Knights finished 20-9 overall in 2005-06 while capturing the ECAC Metro NY/NJ Tournament Championship.

Led by 2005-06 NJAC Coach of the Year John Castaldo, The College of New Jersey was tapped to place fourth in the South Division. Castaldo has guided the Lions to an overall mark of 188-135 during his tenure in Ewing, including a 17-9 overall record in 2005-06.

Under the leadership of ninth-year head coach Ted Fiore, Montclair State University was selected to place fifth in the North Division. The Red Hawks return one all-conference performer from a squad that finished 13-12 last season in junior forward Jonathan Arthur. Fiore has accumulated an overall mark of 122-74 during his tenure at Montclair.

Rutgers University-Camden, which will be led by new first-year head coach Brian Wischusen, was selected to place fifth in the South Division. The Scarlet Raptors return the reigning NJAC Co-Rookie of the Year in sophomore guard Wayne Smalls.

With the move of the New Jersey Athletic Conference to divisional play in the 2006-07 season, a change in the conference tournament structure will take place as well. The top three regular season finishers in each division will advance to the 2006-07 NJAC Championship Tournament.

First round games on Monday, February 19 will feature the second-place finisher in the North Division hosting the third place finisher in the South Division, and the second place finisher in the South Division hosting the third place finisher in the North Division.

Those first round winners will advance to face the first place finishers in the North and South Divisions respectively in the tournament semifinals on Wednesday, February 21. The two semifinal winners will advance to the 2006-07 NJAC Tournament Championship Game on Friday, February 23, to be contested at the site of the highest remaining seed.