LACEY, Wash. - In a historic moment for Saint Martin's University, the Saints' intercollegiate athletic department, and the men's basketball team, the Saints have been voted #1 in the latest D2CSC poll, marking the first time in school history that any team has reached this milestone. The D2CSC poll is voted on by numerous college sports communicators and media members throughout Division II. The Saints also were voted #1 in the CBBNation Poll, which surveys both coaches and media members throughout DII.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL D2CSC POLL TOP 25
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL CBBNATION TOP 25
The Saints jumped out to a 16-1 start this season behind an unflinching roster of talented veterans, savvy transfers, and one of the deepest rosters in all of college basketball. After rolling through a challenging non-conference schedule with an undefeated record including a 7-0 mark versus regional opponents including wins 2023 NCAA participants Point Loma and Academy of Art, the Saints suffered their only defeat in a one-point overtime loss to Northwest Nazarene. They have been flawless ever since. Led by senior Kyle Greeley who averages 16.9 points per game and 7.4 rebounds per game, the Saints have the mark of an explosive offense and a stifling defense. They are holding opponents to the second lowest field goal percentage in the country, while sitting in the top 20 in scoring, with over 86 points per game. The Saints are one of only five one-loss teams in the country.
Not only is this the first time any SMU sport has been ranked #1 nationally, it also marks the first time since February 15, 2016 that a GNAC men's basketball team was on top of a National poll, as Western Oregon was #1 in both the NABC and D2CCA poll that week.
"The latest rankings and any success we're having is simply a result of having such a special group of players," said Head Coach Aaron Landon, "They're focused on the right things, they work incredibly hard and they're unselfish people who care about each other. Saint Martin's is a special place that gave us all a home and opportunity, so we love to see our school get recognition like this."
This achievement not only solidifies Saint Martin's University's position as a force within the highly contested collegiate basketball landscape, but it also reflects a broader upward trend in the competitive success materializing across the Saints' entire athletic department. Inspired by a campus that has played an instrumental role in this process, the students, alumni, faculty, staff, fans and local community have transformed Lacey, WA into the Pacific Northwest's heartland of college basketball.
For our Director of Athletics, Steve O'Brien, this monumental achievement is the product of a shared commitment to excellence. "On top of the exceptional talent of this coaching staff and these student-athletes, our campus' leadership, engaged student-body, and growing fan base throughout the South Puget Sound, represent the key ingredients essential to producing and maintaining a winning culture across everything we do. It's incredibly exciting to witness this transformation in action."
There was not consensus across the board, however, in the polls, as the Saints were voted #2 in the NABC poll, voted on by Division II coaches around the country.
"Our players set program goals in October and none of them included polls or rankings, they're doing a great job staying connected to our goals and facing the challenge ahead," said Coach Landon.
The Saint Martin's men's basketball heads up to Alaska this week for two games on the road. The next chance to see the #1 team back in action at Marcus Pavilion is Thursday, February 1st when they matchup with 2012 National Champions Western Washington University.
