WASHINGTON, D.C. – Saint Joseph's was picked to finish third in the Atlantic 10 Men's Basketball Preseason Poll, conference officials announced on Monday morning in conjunction with the start of A-10 Basketball Media Day at at District E. Additionally, senior guard Erik Reynolds II was named to the A-10 Preseason All-Conference First Team, sophomore guard Xzayvier Brown was selected to the A-10 Preseason All-Conference Second Team and junior forward Rasheer Fleming was named to the A-10 Preseason All-Conference Third Team.

Returning seven letterwinners, including three starters, from last year's squad that went 21-14 overall and earned a NIT bid, the Hawks garnered 376 points, including five first place votes. VCU was selected to finish first with 421 points, followed by Dayton (394 points) and then St. Joe's.

Reynolds II earned his second straight A-10 Preseason All-Conference First Team and is coming off a stellar junior season in which he was named to the A-10 All-Conference First Team, A-10 All-Championship Team, and NABC All-District 4 First Team. Last year, Reynolds II averaged 17.3 points per contest and ranked ninth in the nation in made three-pointers with 112 - the second most in a single season on Hawk Hill - and 50th in free throw percentage (.871). He enters the 2024-25 campaign 15th all-time in scoring (1,616 points) and fifth in three-pointers (261) in program history.

Brown is coming off a freshman season in which he earned both A-10 Rookie of the Year and Big 5 Rookie of the Year honors, to go with A-10 All-Rookie Team and All-Big 5 Second Team recognitions. As a rookie, Brown led the Hawks in steals (62), ranked second in scoring (12.7 points per game) and third in assists (117). He capped his first year on Hawk Hill third in the A-10 in steals per game (1.77), 14th in three-pointers per game (1.97) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.75), and 24th in scoring (12.7 ppg).

Fleming had a breakout campaign last year as he elevated his game across the board as he jumped from 5.8 points and 5.0 rebounds per game as a rookie to 10.7 points and 7.4 rebounds as a sophomore. Starting all 35 games in 2023-24, Fleming led the Hawks in rebounding (7.4 rpg) and field goal percentage (.528), and tied for eighth in the A-10 in blocked shots with 55.

Atlantic 10 Preseason Poll
1. VCU (14) 421
2. Dayton (6) 394
3. Saint Joseph's (5) 376
4. Saint Louis (2) 371
5. Loyola Chicago (2) 368
6. George Mason 262
7. Richmond 230
8. Duquesne (1) 222
9. Massachusetts 215
10. St. Bonaventure 210
11. Rhode Island 159
12. Davidson 118
13. George Washington 111
14. Fordham 80
15. La Salle 62

Number in parenthesis indicates number of first-place votes