The Pirates are ranked 10th in the preseason conference polls this year, the highest preseason ranking of Bobby Gonzalez’s tenure with the Hall thus far. With this improvement come higher expectations, especially with the additions of transfers Herb Pope, Jeff Robinson, and Keon Lawrence, who are now eligible after sitting out last year due to NCAA transfer regulations. These three, along with 6-10, 340-pound sophomore center, Melvyn Oliver, who sat out last year due to academic ineligibility, will combine with the likes of All-Big East Third Team award winner and leading team scorer Jeremy Hazell, John Garcia, and Eugene Harvey, to create Gonzalez’s most athletic and promising team yet.
The Pirates are ranked just behind No. 9 Pittsburgh Panthers and in front of the No. 11 St. John’s Red Storm. The Hall’s weak pre-conference schedule will be detrimental when it comes to NCAA Tournament selections at the end of the season, but with a strong Big East showing the Pirates will make it back to the promise land, where they haven’t had a berth since the 2005-’06 season under Louis Orr.
“I don’t ever remember being this excited as a coach — in 16 years of Division 1 — for a season to start, as much as I am right now,” said Coach Gonzalez to The Star-Ledger reporter Brendan Prunty. “I just think that we have a real chance. I think that we can be the new kid on the block and his name can be Seton Hall.”
