Edinboro Men’s Basketball Team Picked Second in PSAC Preseason Poll
Curtis Ingram, Daren Tielsch Named to Preseason All-PSAC West Squad
November 9, 2006

EDINBORO, PA – The Edinboro University men’s basketball team has been picked second in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division Preseason Coaches Poll. The Fighting Scots have won the last two PSAC Championships, the first team to do so since Cheyney won back-to-back crowns in 1982 and ’83. They are attempting to become the first team to win three straight PSAC crowns since Cheyney won five in a row from 1976-80.

Shippensburg, 24-7 a year ago and the Western Division regular season champion, is the preseason favorite. Edinboro upset the Red Raiders, 52-51, in last season’s PSAC title game. The Fighting Scots ended the year with a 21-10 record. Clarion (13-13 in ’05-06) is picked third, followed by California(Pa.) (17-11) in fourth, Indiana(Pa.) (19-9) in fifth, Lock Haven (4-23) in sixth, and Slippery Rock (2-25) in seventh.

In addition to the team’s rankings, the PSAC coaches selected a Preseason All-PSAC West team. The six-man group included a pair of Fighting Scots, seniors Daren Tielsch (McKees Rocks, PA/ Montour) and Curtis Ingram (Youngstown, OH/Cardinal Mooney). They were joined by Shippensburg’s Chuck Davis, the 2006 PSAC West Athlete of the Year, Billy Arre of Lock haven, Clarion’s Ricky Henderson, and James Petty of California(Pa.).

Tielsch received a sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA this summer. The 6’8”, 230 lb. forward led the Fighting Scots in both scoring (18.7 ppg.) and (9.5 rpg.), ranking seventh in the PSAC in scoring while leading the league in rebounding. He shot 55.4 percent from the floor and attempted a school-record 210 free throws, although he shot just 57.1 percent from the line.

Tielsch added 81 assists and 42 blocked shots, both second on the team, while leading the Fighting Scots with 37 steals. He was accorded first team All-PSAC West honors and was the Most Outstanding Player at the PSAC Championships. In two seasons at Edinboro, Tielsch has scored 914 points. He previously played one season at Penn State and one game at Robert Morris.

Ingram joined Edinboro a year ago after playing two seasons at Division I Wofford. The 6’3” guard battled a knee injury early in the year, missing three games. He played a key role in Edinboro’s playoff run down the stretch.

Ingram averaged 13.1 ppg., third on the team, while making 41 of 108 three-pointers. But the most notable aspect of Ingram’s game is his defense. He regularly shut down some of the best scorers in the PSAC. He hit a free throw with no time left on the clock to give Edinboro a 52-51 win over Shippensburg in the PSAC championship game.