SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – North Dakota men's basketball has been tabbed to a sixth-place finish in the Summit League preseason poll which was announced on Tuesday morning in advance of the league's media day activities from inside the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center in Sioux Falls. The Hawks were one of six teams to receive a first-place vote and totaled 283 points in a wide open Summit League as the first weekend of November looms.
 
In addition to the rankings, the Summit's first and second preseason all-league teams were released and among the first-team honorees are UND returnees Treysen Eaglestaff and Amar Kuljuhovic. The Hawks are one of only two teams with multiple players recognized and the only program with two first-team honorees.
 
Eaglestaff played and started all 32 games for the Hawks as a sophomore, was named a TicketSmarter Men's Basketball Peak Performer of the Week three times and is the Summit League's top returning three-point shooter after ranking second in three-point percentage (38.3%) and in three-pointers per game (2.50) last season.
 
Kuljuhovic was named to the Summit League All-Newcomer Team in his first season for the Hawks. He enters the 2024-25 season as the league's top returning rebounder after leading the league in defensive rebounds per game (5.94), while ranking second in the league in total rebounds (267), offensive rebounds per game (2.68) and rebounding average (8.6); a per game board-grabbing mark that ranked 55^th in Division I.
 
The Hawks enter year six under the leadership of head coach Paul Sather. Sather, who enters his 20^th year as a collegiate head coach, has won nearly 60 percent of games coached in his career and has been victorious 61 times during his time in Grand Forks.
 
UND enters the 2024-25 season on the heels of an 18-win campaign a year ago that included a 10-6 record in league play to finish tied for second in the regular season standings. UND lost to Omaha in the final seconds in the quarterfinal round of the Summit League Tournament. The 18 wins, a Summit League best for UND, were the most in a single season for the program under Sather, the third time the Hawks reached a dozen or more in a season in his tenure and were the most by the Hawks since 2016-17.
 
The sixth-place appointment, the second highest for UND under Sather, in the preseason rankings is one spot back of last season's fifth-place selection and matches the Hawks' placement prior to the start of the 2020-21 season.
 
2024 Summit League Men's Basketball Preseason Poll

1. Kansas City (17) - 514
2. South Dakota State (12) - 474
3. North Dakota State (3) - 384
4. St. Thomas - 308
5. Oral Roberts (2) - 305
6. North Dakota (1) - 283
7. South Dakota (1) - 250
8. Omaha - 159
9. Denver - 158

 
Men's Preseason All-League First Team
Issac McBride, Oral Roberts (Preseason Player of the Year)
Kendall Blue, St. Thomas
Jamar Brown, Kansas City
Treysen Eaglestaff, North Dakota
Amar Kuljuhovic, North Dakota
Kaleb Stewart, South Dakota

Men's Preseason All-League Second Team
Oscar Cluff, South Dakota State
DeAndre Craig, Denver
Kalen Garry, South Dakota State
Marquel Sutton, Omaha
Jacari White, North Dakota State

For full Summit League release, visit thesummitleague.org/sports/mbball.

Amar Kuljuhovic | Senior | F/C | Waterloo, Iowa  
2023-24 Summit League All-Newcomer Team…2023-24 TicketSmarter Men's Basketball Peak Performer of the Week (Feb. 5)…Top returning rebounder in the Summit League for 2024-25…Led Summit League in defensive rebounds per game (5.94)…Ranked second in the league in total rebounds (267), offensive rebounds per game (2.68) and rebounding average (8.6)…Rebounding average ranked 55th in DI…Delivered eight double-doubles (2nd most in Summit League in '23-24)…Scored in double figures 16 times with season-high 19 against Denver (1-20-24)…Recorded ten or more rebounds in 12 games…Went for 17 points and 17 rebounds against South Dakota (2-1-24)…Scored 19 points and grabbed 15 rebounds against Denver (1-20-24)…

Treysen Eaglestaff | Junior | G | Bismarck, N.D.
3x 2023-24 TicketSmarter Men's Basketball Peak Performer of the Week…Played and started all 32 games for the Hawks as a sophomore…Ranked second in the Summit League in three-point percentage (38.3%)…Ranked second in the Summit League in three-pointers per game (2.50)…Made the third-most three pointers in the Summit League last season (80) behind the third-most three-point attempts (209)…Top returning three-point shooter in the Summit League…Finished '23-24 tenth in Summit League in scoring average (14.6)…Ranked tenth in Summit League in field goal percentage (43.4)…Scored the eighth-most points in the Summit League in 2023-24 (460)…Scored in double figures 23 times with four games with 25 or more and a career-high 33 against Denver (2-15-24)…Top 20 in Summit League in blocked shots average (0.4)…21st in Summit League in minutes per game (28.6)…
 
The Hawks are preparing for an October 30 exhibition against Concordia Moorhead inside the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center. UND opens the 2024-25 regular season on Monday, November 4 in Fort Collins, Colorado against Colorado State. For the full slate of action, visit https://fightinghawks.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule.
 
For more information on North Dakota men's basketball, visit FightingHawks.com or follow on social media @UNDmbasketball.