Indianapolis, Ind. – The Youngstown State men's basketball team received three first-place votes and were predicted to finish fifth in the 2023-24 Horizon League Preseason Poll, the league announced on Tuesday.

Senior guard Brandon Rush was also named to the Preseason All-Horizon League Second-Team.

Youngstown State received 342 points for its fifth-place seeding while Northern Kentucky was picked as the preseason favorite with 18 first-place votes and 435 points.

Milwaukee was predicted second with 397 points and 10 first-place votes while Wright State was third with 392 points and 12 first-place votes.

Cleveland State finished just ahead of the Penguins with 362 points and one first-place vote.

Oakland (280 points), Robert Morris (186), Purdue Fort Wayne (166), Detroit Mercy (132), IUPUI (116), and Green Bay round out places six through 11.

Rush, who was named All-Horizon League Third-Team in 2022-23, averaged 13.9 points per game,  shot 47.8 percent from the floor (173-of-362) and 37.9 percent from 3-point range (77-of-203) last season. He finished the year with 473 points and ranked 13th in the league in scoring, tied for fourth with 77 made 3-pointers, and ranked fifth with 2.3 3-pointers made per game.

2023-24 Under Armour  #HLMBB Preseason Poll
Pl.        Team – Pts. (First-place votes)
1.         Northern Kentucky (18) – 435
2.         Milwaukee (10) – 397
3.         Wright State (12) – 392
4.         Cleveland State (1) – 362
5.         Youngstown State (3) – 342
6.         Oakland – 280
7.         RMU – 186
8.         Purdue Fort Wayne – 166
9.         Detroit Mercy – 132
10.       IUPUI – 116
11.       Green Bay – 96

#HLMBB Preseason Player of the Year
Trey Calvin, Wright State

Preseason All-League First Team (alphabetical order by school)
Tristan Enaruna, Cleveland State
BJ Freeman, Milwaukee
Marques Warrick, Northern Kentucky
Trey Townsend, Oakland
Trey Calvin, Wright State

Preseason All-League Second Team (alphabetical order by school)
Jlynn Counter, IUPUI
Sam Vinson, Northern Kentucky
Tanner Holden, Wright State
Brandon Noel, Wright State
Brandon Rush, Youngstown State