By: Laura Chapman
Assistant Sports Information Director
chapmal@juniata.edu • juniatasports.net

HUNTINGDON, Pa. – Juniata College men's basketball head coach Greg Curley has announced the 2014-15 class that will join the team in the upcoming season. The Eagles will welcome 10 new players to preseason this winter: Seth Brewer (Lancaster, Pa. / Manheim), Bryce Dobisch (Warrington, Pa. / Central Bucks South), Brian Graytok (Greensburg, Pa. / Greensburg Central Catholic), Marcus Lee (Carrolltown, Pa. / Bishop Carroll Catholic), Adam Lencer (Cranberry, Pa. / Keystone), Ryan Naccarato (Hummelstown, Pa. / Lower Dauphin), Wilberto Peralta (Hagerstown, Md. / North Hagerstown), Damon Rickens (Altoona, Pa. / Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic), Akira Tachikawa (San Diego, Calif. / Canyon Crest Academy), and Wade Walker (Hooversville, Pa. / Shepherd University).

The ten fresh faces will be looking to combine with the 10 returners from the 2013-14 team that won the programs second consecutive Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III regional title. The Eagles graduated seven seniors at the end of last season and will look to fill the starting lineup with solid veterans and new talent.

"We're going to need some immediate contributions from all of the newcomers," said Curley. "After losing the seven seniors that we've lost – the amount of minutes they played the amount of points they scored – we're kind of a clean slate. We have a nice core of guys returning. There is a group of four or five guys there that have played a fair amount of minutes for where they are in their career. They are ready to take a step forward for us, but we need more guys than that. We typically play and eight to ten man rotation and to get to that point there are going to have to be significant contributions from a lot of young guys right away."

The class of 2018 boasts three first-team all-county selections, three second-team all conference honors, and four all-state players, along with numerous other accolades including nine district or league championships.

"We're expecting a lot out of this group as a whole," added Curley. "There are some individual pieces there that I expect to make an immediate impact. It will all depend on how they can adjust to this level. It's as talented and as decorated a group as we've ever brought in."

Juniata will open preseason in October before kicking off the season at the Coaches vs. Cancer tournament hosted by Mount Aloysius College November 15-16.

Follow Your Eagles! Stay up-to-date on your Juniata College Eagles by following us on twitter (@JuniataEagles) and on Facebook (Juniata Eagles).