October 21, 2015-The Emporia State Hornets are slated to finish 11th in the MIAA Coaches Preseason Poll released today.

The Hornets return their top six scorers from last year and have added a number of talented newcomers.  All-MIAA guard Terrence Moore led the MIAA in steals and was fourth in the conference in scoring.  He averaged 16.8 points and 2.3 steals per game last year and became the first Hornet since 1993 to reach 1,000 points in his career as a junior.  He has 1,161 points and is ranked 17th in career scoring as he enters his senior season. Guard Micah Swank is the other four year senior on the squad. He averaged 8.3 points and 2.8 assists per game as he started every game last season.

Senior transfers Kevin Allen and Charles McKinney will be asked to contribute immediately.  The 6-11 Allen played in 21 games at Boise State last year with three starts.  He averaged 13.4 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game as a sophomore for Pratt CC as they advanced to the NJCAA Tournament.  McKinney averaged 4.5 points and 1.0 steals in 89 games with 49 starts for DePaul.  

A six person junior class includes five players in their third year with the Hornets.  Jay Temaat and Jevon Taylor combined to hit 108 three-pointers last year.  Taylor averaged 9.8 points per game, making 56 of 129 three-pointers along the way.  Temaat connected on 52 of 131 three-point attempts on the way to an 8.6 points per game average.  Josh Pedersen averaged 6.0 points and 3.3 rebounds per game with 13 blocked shots last season.  Terrence Sardin was the leading shot blocker for the Hornets last year with 20 blocks in 27 games.  Tyler Jordan averaged 4.7 points per game and started 16 games last year.  Joshua Oswald played in 43 games with 19 starts for Miami (Ohio) over the last two years.  The 6-7 forward averaged 3.6 points and 2.4 rebounds in his two years at Miami.

Sam Morgan and Bradley Fisher make up the sophomore class. Fisher is a 7-0 transfer from Montana State.  He played in 11 games with one start for the Bobcats.  Morgan played in seven games for Emporia State last season.

Two redshirt freshmen round out the Hornet roster.  Adrian Deere averaged 17.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 2.1 assists per game at Warren Township HS in a northern suburb of Chicago.  Brandon Hall was a first-team All-District performer for Bowie HS in Arlington, Texas.
 
Emporia State went 12-16 last season and tied for 12th in the MIAA. They were 7-5 in White Auditorium and ranked 15th in the nation in average attendance.
 
The Hornets open the exhibition season on October 30 against Kansas State in Manhattan, Kan.  The regular season begins on November 14 against Sioux Falls as part of the MIAA-NSIC Regional Challenge in Hays, Kan.
 
 2015-16 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Northwest Missouri (9)......164
2. Central Missouri (1)...........143
3. Nebraska-Kearney (1).......141
4. Missouri Southern (2)........140
5. Pittsburg State (1).............134
6. Fort Hays State.................101
7. Lindenwood........................91
8. Central Oklahoma..............77
T9. Washburn........................72
T9. Missouri Western............72
11. Emporia State..................58
12. Southwest Baptist............38
13. Northeastern State..........29
14. Lincoln.............................14
(First Place Votes)