BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- Navy's
Austin Benigni was one of five players named to the 2024-25 Preseason Men's Basketball All-Patriot League Team on Thursday. Benigni joined American's Matt Rogers, Miles Brewster from Boston U., Bucknell's Noah Williamson and Tyler Whitney-Sidney from Lehigh on the team.
Additionally, Rogers was named the preseason player of the year and Caleb Kenney from Holy Cross was tabbed as the preseason defensive player of the year.
Voting was conducted by the league's head coaches and the sports information contacts at each school. Voters were not allowed to include their school on the ballot.
Benigni earned second-team all-league accolades at the end of the 2023-24 regular season. At the time of the voting –– prior to the start of the league tournament –– the then-sophomore ranked second in the league in scoring for both the full season (16.6 ppg) and league games (18.4 ppg). He became the first Mid since the league expanded to an 18-game campaign in 2014 to score in double figures in every league game.
Benigni ended the year scoring in double figures in the last 21 games of the season and in 31 games overall. This included him scoring at least 20 points in 10 games. Benigni led the Patriot League and ranked 22nd nationally with 177 free throws made, and stood first in the league and 38th in the country with 209 free throws attempted. He also placed second in the league with 526 points, a scoring average of 17.0 points per game and a free throw percentage of 84.7 percent.
Navy opens its 2024-25 season with a Nov. 4 game at Saint Joseph's and begins its home slate Nov. 8 with the 11th edition of the Veterans Classic. Boston College vs. VCU will start the doubleheader at 6 p.m., with the Mids playing host to Harvard in the second game.
2024-25 Patriot League Men's Basketball Preseason Major Awards
Preseason Player of the Year – Matt Rogers, American, Gr., F
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year – Caleb Kenney, Holy Cross, Sr., F
2024-25 Preseason Men's Basketball All-Patriot League Team
Matt Rogers, American, Gr., F
Miles Brewster, Boston University, Gr., G
Noah Williamson, Bucknell, Jr., C
Tyler Whitney-Sidney, Lehigh, Sr., G
Austin Benigni, Navy, Jr., G
