Every story about a Division I team losing an exhibition game to a Division II team has to come with the following disclaimer: Two years ago, Michigan State lost to Division II Grand Valley State. By the end of the year, the Spartans were in the Sweet 16.

But Fairfield got a major reality check last night when the Stags turned in a lackluster performance and fell to Division II Bridgeport, 75-69. I've yet to meet anyone affiliated with MAAC basketball who doesn't feel bad for Ed Cooley because of what's happened over the last two years.

He's done a good job recruiting, an excellent job trying to energize the university community, and at times, an amazing job getting results out of second-tier players who have been forced into action. (Case in point, the last two months of last year).

But the two best players Cooley inherited from Tim O'Toole were Jonathan Han and Greg Nero (who never played for O'Toole but signed with him in the fall of 2005).

Han caused major distractions last year before leaving the team, and Nero is likely out for the season this year, leaving Cooley without a player who, if healthy, would be a double-double machine and an emotional leader.

Add to that the ankle injury that has Warren Edney playing with pain for the bulk of the season, and the Stags NEED big years from freshmen guards Derek Needham and Colin Nickerson or it'll be very difficult to finish in the top half of the MAAC standings.

Fairfield's problems, though, are not limited to basketball. The University has a PR nightmare on its hands as Doug Perlitz, a 1992 alum, faces charges that he sexually abused children while doing service work in Haiti.

And now, from an administration seeking greater influence with the school's independent student newspaper, comes a letter that declared the school's contract with the paper null and void because of supposed violations relating to a column.

As a former Editor of The Mirror, I'm admittedly biased. But I've always maintained a strong, independent student newspaper reflected better on a school than just about anything else. It provides examples of students producing a thoughtful, creative, insightful product without administrators holding their hands. Better than anything else, it speaks to students' intellectual capacity and productivity.

Here's to hoping editors and administrators can work something out that enables The Mirror to keep doing what it does best: Serve as an independent student voice without any further meddling from the administration.

Happy Election Day, folks.

With the World Series on an off day (fewer pages, less work here in the news room), I figured it'd be a good time to look ahead to Rider's exhibition game Saturday against West Chester.

The Broncs are practicing today for the final time at the Trenton Mercer Airport. They have the day off tomorrow and will hold their first practice on the new floor tomorrow at the Zoo.

No one, publicly or privately, expressed any doubts to me that it would get done on time. But whether it's a whole new arena or just a floor, you never know with these things.

Rider, which scrimmaged Columbia last Saturday, will take the floor publicly for the first time Saturday. Fans will get their first look at Jhamar Youngblood in a Broncs' uniform. They'll also be able to watch Jonathan Thompson, Carl Johnson and Dera Nd-Ezuma for the first time.

Youngblood, who will start in the backcourt along with Ryan Thompson and Justin Robinson, led the Broncs in scoring at Columbia. None of the freshmen will be featured close to as prominently as Novar Gadson was last year and Robinson and Mike Ringgold were in 2007-08, but Thompson will likely be part of Tommy Dempsey's rotation.

A 6-4 wing with athleticism and a nice stroke from the perimeter, Thompson can defend three positions and score if needed.

Johnson could be Rider's starting point guard down the road, but it's hard to envision him playing any meaningful minutes this year barring an injury to someone ahead of him on the depth chart.

Nd-Ezuma, entering just his third year or organized basketball, is the project of all projects. He's 6-10 with a wing span that tops seven feet, and he runs the floor well for a guy his size. Eventually, he could be a shot-blocking machine who grabs seven rebounds per game and has a nice touch around the hoop. Now, his basketball skills are far, far behind his physical tools, but it'll be interesting how he looks on the court Saturday.

Greetings from the ESPNZone in Time Square, where media day is underway. I'll keep this thread open and keep updating it as we go along. I'm also on Twitter.

Here's the women's coaches poll as it's being announced.

10. Niagara
9. Manhattan
8. Siena
7. Loyola
6. Fairfield
5. Saint Peter's
4. Rider
3. Canisius
2. Iona
1. Marist

Micayla Draysdale, Kaitline Grant, Lyndsie Johnson, Liz Flooks, Allie Lindemann on women's third team

Women's second team: Elli Radke, Stephanie Geehan, Kristina Ford, Anda Ivkovic

Women's first team: Brittany Russell, Thazina Cook, Erica Allenspach, Rachele Fitz, Tammy Meyers

Women's POY: Rachele Fitz

Men's poll:

10. Marist
9. Iona
8. Manhattan
7. Canisius
T-5. Saint Peter's
T-5. Loyola
4. Fairfield
3. Rider
2. Niagara
1. Siena

Men's third team: Greg Logins, Frank Turner, Darryl Crawford, Novar Gadson, Mike Ringgold

Men's second team: Greg Nero, Jamal Barney, Wes Jenkins, Alex Franklin, Ryan Rossiter

Men's first team: Bilal Benn, Tyrone Lewis, Ryan Thompson, Ronald Moore, Edwin Ubiles

POY: Ryan Thompson

Full men's poll with votes: (Tommy Dempsey gave Rider its first-place vote.)

1. Siena (9) 99
2. Niagara 87
3. Rider (1) 82
4. Fairfield 67
5. Loyola 45
5. Saint Peter's 45
7. Canisius 43
8. Manhattan 40
9. Iona 39
10. Marist 12

Didn't have time to post this yesterday, so here's the link to the story on Daniel Stewart.

Daniel Stewart, a 6-7 power forward from Neumann-Goretti High School in Philadelphia, verbally committed to Rider today, giving the Broncs their first commitment for the class of 2010.

Stewart was heavily recruited and had offers from several other MAAC schools. Rider has one more scholarship to give out and may do so before the fall signing period begins next month.

Stewart's teammate, guard Tony Chenault, has committed to Wake Forrest.

Just got back from the airport, where I watched the last hour or so of Rider practice and manged to avoid being attacked by any wild animals. ... Just kidding. The raccoons don't come out till after dark, and practice was over by 5:30.

Anyway, a few tidbits:

* Freshman wing Jonathan Thompson is still nursing an ankle injury that kept him limited at times during workotus last month, but the kid can really get up and down the floor. Tommy Dempsey told me Thompson is about 80 percent, but he got baseline-to-baseline just about as quickly as anyone. The kid also has a heck of a nice stroke from the perimeter.

* Freshman point guard Carl Johnson had surgery over the summer after a freak accident left his right arm badly cut and some nerves damaged. The surgery was a success, but he's still gaining back his shooting touch.

* This should surprise virtually no one, but Ryan Thompson looked like a man playing against boys. On three straight possessions -- one in transition, two in half-court sets -- he took the ball to the hoop virtually uncontested.

MAAC media day is next Tuesday, in my new home of New York.

As I mentioned last week on Twitter, I've taken the plunge, moved in with the girlfriend and entered the world of reverse-commuting. It's a pretty good situation. I've traded my crummy apartment complex outside Trenton for the Upper East Side, which has plenty of good bars in which to watch college hoops and even easier access to some other MAAC schools.

I spend a bit more time on the road these days, but that's why God created satellite radio, isn't it?

The one downside to this moving situation is that the move -- coupled with desk work and that little preseason activity known as college football -- has taken me away from The Blog.

But there's good news on that front: I'm settled in here, Matt Stein is doing a great job holding down The Trentonian's Rutgers football beat, and it's time to get back to business.

With that in mind, here's The Blog's preseason MAAC rankings, which will be updated each week during the season in the form of Year 2 of the Press MAAC Index.

Something tells me that the team atop these ranking will hold steady from wire to wire, just like it did last year. Beyond that, though, there's plenty of room for plenty of teams to move up or down several spots.

1. Siena (27-8 overall, 16-2 in the MAAC; advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament)

Although the Saints aren't yet the Gonzaga of the East, they've joined a small group of mid-majors that have nation-wide name recognition and serious hopes of an NCAA at-large bid should they unexpectedly stumble in the MAAC tournament.

Ronald Moore -- he of "Onions!" fame - and Edwin Ubiles lead a returning cast that should be good enough to improve even without Kenny Hasbrouck.

2. Rider (19-13, 12-6; lost in the first round of the CollegeInsider.com tournament)

I thought about simply flipping a coin to pick between Rider and Niagara for the No. 2 spot.

Both teams played at a high level last year, the two split their regular season meetings, and the Eagles won their MAAC semifinal game in double OT after Tyrone Lewis' miracle bank shot at the end of regulation. Four starters return on each team, including the Eagles' Lewis and the Broncs' Ryan Thompson. But for my money, Benson Egemonye is a bigger loss than Harris Mansell, which gives the Broncs -- who will fill Mansell's spot with Monmouth transfer Jhamar Youngblood -- the slightest of edges.

3. Niagara (26-9, 14-4; lost in the first round of the NIT)

See above with regards to the Eagles' being in the No. 3 slot instead of the No. 2 slot. They may well be picked second in the preseason coaches' poll, and they certainly represented the MAAC well last year. If they can find a way to replace Egemonye, a major post presence at both ends of the floor, their win total could be back in the mid-20s.

4. Saint Peter's (11-19, 8-10)

I don't know how John Dunne does it.

The Peacocks play in a gym that resembles a 15th-century dungeon. They have by far the least fan support in the league, and financial resources that make GM look like Goldman Sachs. Yet Dunne has assembled a talented team that keeps getting better, so much so that I'll be surprised if SPC doesn't finish with a winning record in the league.

5. Loyola (12-20, 7-11)

Jimmy Patsos may frequently end up in the headlines for his bizarre behavior, but he's also proven to be one of the best program builders in the MAAC. The Hounds took their lumps last year after losing their entire starting front court to graduation, but with Jamal Barney back and 6-10 Maryland transfer Shane Walker eligible, no one will want to play them.

6. Fairfield (17-15, 9-9)

Had I put together these rankings a month ago, I would have picked the Stags fourth. That may well be their place in the preseason coaches' poll, since the voting took place before the following revelations from North Benson Road: The Stags will be without Greg Nero at least until December and quite possible for the entire season; Warren Edney, the Stags' best player early last year, still hasn't returned to practice; and if that wasn't enough, Yorel Hawkins came down with appendicitis and will be out until December.

Here's to hoping that unlike last year, the injury bug leaves the Stags alone once the season gets underway.

7. Canisius (11-20, 4-14)

Through all their struggles last year, the Golden Griffs had one very important thing going for them: They were the youngest team in the MAAC and one of the youngest in the country. That means all five starters return, including point guard Frank Turner and handful-of-a-bigman Greg Loggins.

8. Iona (12-19, 7-11)

In two years under Kevin Willard, the Gaels have neither had a winning record nor advanced past the opening round of the MAAC tournament. If Iona is to achieve either of those goals this year, reigning Rookie of the Year Scott Macahdo will have to play like a senior, and someone will have to step up as a force in the frontcourt.

9. Marist (10-23, 4-14)

Last January, the Red Foxes looked poised to finish in the top half of the league standings and make a loud statement in Chuck Martin's first year. That never materialized, and an awful final stretch left them just where everyone picked them: the MAAC cellar.

But thanks in a large part to Martin and veterans such as Dejuan Goodwin, the team rebounded to get through the opening round in Albany, and with a pair of transfers -- Daye Kaba from Boston College and Casiem Drummond from Villanova -- added to the mix, the Foxes will be scary.

10. Manhattan (16-14, 9-9)

The league is at its best when the Jaspers are in contention, but that simply hasn't been the case since Bobby Gonzalez bolted for Seton Hall and a bevy of transfers left Barry Rohrssen without enough talent to be among the MAAC's elite teams.

And though Darryl Crawford can play, someone else -- Antoine Pearson, perhaps? -- needs to step up as a consistent double-figure scorer.