MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The Yeshiva University men's basketball team has earned preseason recognition from D3hoops.com, as well as the Skyline Conference. D3hoops.com released its men's basketball preseason Top 25 poll, for the 2018-19 season, and Yeshiva is in the receiving votes section. The defending Skyline champions are also projected to finish first in the conference standings.

The D3hoops.com poll is voted on by a panel of 25 coaches, Sports Information Directors, and media members from across the country, and is published weekly. One member voted for YU to be in the top 25. The Skyline preseason poll is voted on by all the head coaches in the conference. The Macs received six first-place votes and 95 voting points.

The D3hoops.com poll can be seen here.

The Skyline preseason poll can be viewed here.

"I believe this is the first time in program history that we received a top 25 vote," Yeshiva University Director of Athletics, Mr. Joe Bednarsh said, regarding the D3hoops.com poll. "It's indicative of the strength of the program and our continuous march towards excellence. I'm excited for these guys to defend their championship and prove that voter right."

It was a successful 2017-18 campaign for the men's basketball team, as Yeshiva captured its first Skyline Conference championship and NCAA tournament bid in program history. The Maccabees set a program-record with 18 wins during the season.

Yeshiva is expected to return 10 players from last year's championship team, including four of its starters. Junior guard Simcha Halpert, who was named to the Skyline All-Conference first team, will return to the Maccabees and serve as a team captain. Senior forward Tal Gweta and junior forward Daniel Katz have also been named captains.

Junior forward Gabriel Leifer will be back with the team after earning a spot on the Skyline All-Conference second team, last season. Also returning to the team are senior forward Michael Hayon, fourth-year guard Justin Hod, junior guard Tyler Hod, sophomore guard Sammy Mandel, second-year forward Michael Bixon, and junior forward Kevin Bokor.

Five newcomers will join the roster, including freshman guard Daniel Tzion, sophomore guard Eitan Halpert, classmate and guard Albert Waxman, freshman guard Ryan Turell, and first-year guard Jeffrey Owen.

"It's nice to get some national recognition, but we know our goals and we are focused on continuing to work hard to make sure there are more of those votes coming," Yeshiva University head coach Elliot Steinmetz said.

The Maccabees will face a challenging schedule in 2018-19. In addition to a pair of games against each of their Skyline rivals, Yeshiva will compete against two teams that are in the D3hoops.com preseason poll. YU will play at Ramapo College on November 14. The Roadrunners are receiving votes in the national poll after advancing all the way to NCAA Final Four, last season. The Maccabees will battle the Ephs of Williams College, in a non-conference showdown on November 25. The Ephs are ranked No. 8 in the poll, after winning the NESCAC championship and advancing to the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Yeshiva will open the season at Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham, on Sunday. Tip-off is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.