SAINT PAUL, Minn. – The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) unveiled its preseason poll in an announcement Thursday, and the Yellowjacket men's basketball team was predicted to finish second.
Leading the poll of UMAC coaches was reigning-champion Bethany Lutheran, garnering 48 points and six-of-eight first place votes. The 'Jackets grabbed the remaining two first place nods, along with 41 points. The Yellowjackets return a key trio of seniors to the hardwood this season, in
J'Vaun Walker (Rosharon, Texas/Manvel),
Joey Barker (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) and
Andrew Kunelius (Caledonia, Minn./Caledonia).
Walker started all 27 games for UWS last campaign, on his way to an All-UMAC First Team selection. Averaging 31.3 minutes per game, he shot 46.1 percent from the field while converting 24 three pointers. Walker drained the most free throws on the team (107), while finishing second in rebounds with 118. He logged a season-high 38 points versus UW-River Falls in 2023-24, while finishing with 36 points against North Central.
Barker played in 23 games for the 'Jackets while starting 17. He logged 600 minutes on the hardwood and garnered 60 field goals. Barker finished third on the team with 117 rebounds, while accumulating 174 points. His highest mark came against UW-La Crosse in the season-opening Merrill Thompson Classic.
Kunelius started 21-of-27 games played as a junior, collecting 747 minutes on the court. He garnered a 46.1 shooting percentage from field goal range while carding 17 shots from beyond the arc. Kunelius ranked fourth in the squad with 97 rebounds while adding 29 assists. For his efforts, he was rewarded with a spot on the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Team.
Northwestern took third place in the poll with 34 points, followed closely by Crown (31) and North Central (30). Minnesota Morris finished sixth in the poll with 20 points, while Martin Luther and Northland rounded out the league with 13 and seven points, respectively.
The Yellowjackets start the 2024-25 season at the Merrill Thompson Classic, facing Marian at 7:30 p.m. inside Mertz Mortorelli Gym.
