LANCASTER, PA – The Johns Hopkins men's basketball team has been picked to finish second in the Centennial Conference in a preseason vote of the conference's head coaches. Hopkins earned four first-place votes and 76 points to finish a close second behind defending champion Swarthmore, which grabbed six first-place votes and 78 points.
 
The Blue Jays have been either first or second in each of the last five preseason polls. JHU has played in the last five Centennial Conference Championship games and won three titles.
 
Head coach Ryan Cain enters his first season with the Blue Jays and inherits a that posted a 25-5 record and advanced to the NCAA's Sweet 16 for the third time in program history last season.  The Blue Jays return two of their top three scorers and four players who started 19 or more games a year ago. Hopkins enters the season ranked 12^th in the D3hoops.com preseason poll.
 
Gettysburg was picked third in the preseason poll with 65 points, followed by Muhlenberg (54) and Ursinus (49) to round out the top five.
 
Hopkins opens the season on Wednesday, November 8 versus Marymount. Tip-off is slated for 7:00 pm at Goldfarb Gym.
 
2023-24 Centennial Conference Preseason Poll
1. Swarthmore (6) - 78 points
2. Johns Hopkins (4) – 76 points
3. Gettysburg – 65 points
4. Muhlenberg – 54 points
5. Ursinus – 49 points
6. Franklin & Marshall – 43 points
7. Haverford – 31 points
8. Dickinson – 28 points
9. McDaniel – 14 points
10. Washington College – 12 points