#CAAHoops Preview: Monmouth Men's Basketball
Miles McQuiggan
WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. (Oct. 30, 2022) - Heads turned and tweets flowed in when Monnmouth announced its non-conference schedule.
An opening stretch at Seton Hall, Virginia, and Illinois. A visit to Syracuse. Mid-majors consistently at the top of their leagues like Norfolk State, Colgate, and Yale. A schedule that includes six nationally televised contests and nearly half its schedule - 14 games - on TV in the New York market.
That effort to play a challenging schedule - and to win games with people watching - is why many people outside New Jersey know the Monmouth name. The Hawks' surge into the national spotlight in 2015-16 was brought on by being a giant killer and having fun doing it. Monmouth won five games against high majors that season and added victories over the ACC, American, and A10 last season - a 21-win campaign ended by an eventual Elite Eight team in North Jersey.
Monmouth enters its second new league in a decade after a move from the NEC to the MAAC in 2013-14. Each move for the Hawks - from Division II to the NEC in the 1980s, to the MAAC and now the CAA - has elevated exposure and success for the program.
"We want to let our fans know that this is a really big move for our university," said head coach
King Rice. "We have to let them know that because things are going to be different. In the league we're coming from, we came into that league as one of the top teams in the league. We come into the CAA and our facilities - we were the best in our previous league - they're now similar to a lot of the teams in our league. We've played Towson and Hofstra and they're some of the top teams in our league, and we know how we've matched up with them in the past."
"Everyone who gets to do this is really good at it," Rice added. "These universities have been in this league before us and they know what it's all about. Those of us that are new to the league are going to come in and fight and get an understanding of how it goes."
The Hawks will navigate their first year in the CAA with five new starters, as a mix of returning reserves and an expansive freshman class look to help Monmouth compete this winter.
Myles Ruth racked up 28 steals for Monmouth a year ago, while
Myles Foster appeared in all 34 games and earned a start last season.
Monmouth's ambitious schedule in the first week of the season will get the Hawks into flight quickly as they take on their first year in the CAA.
Monmouth
Head Coach: King Rice
2021-22 Record: 21-13, 11-9 MAAC (4th)
Postseason: MAAC Final
Returning Starters (0)
Key Returners
Myles Foster, F 5.3 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 15 blk
Myles Ruth, G 3.1 ppg, 28 stl
Notable Newcomers (all freshmen)
Jaret Valencia, F 3-star forward, ranked top-100 recruit from Texas and top-100 PF
Amaan Sandhu, C First ever NBA India Academy prospect to earn DI scholarship
Andrew Ball, G In HS, 1st Team All-Olympic Conference – Patriot Division and 3rd Team All-County
Jack Collins, G 1st Team All-Division in Shore Conference
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