EDISON, N.J. - Rider University senior guard Ryan Thompson has been chosen as the 2009-2010 MAAC Men's Basketball Preseason Player of the Year, as selected by the league's 10 head coaches.

Thompson is joined on the first team by Niagara University's senior guard/forward Bilal Benn and senior guard Tyrone Lewis, along with Siena College's senior guard Ronald Moore and senior guard/forward Edwin Ubiles.

Thompson, a member of the 2008-09 All-MAAC First Team, ranked second in the league in scoring last season, netting 18.0 points per game for the Broncs. He also registered 6.5 rebounds (11th) and 3.2 assists (seventh) an outing during his junior campaign. Thompson proved he was an expert marksman last season, connecting on 50.9 percent of his attempts from the field, 42.2 percent from behind the arc and 77.3 percent from the charity stripe.

Benn, who was named to the 2009 Citizens Bank MAAC Basketball Championship All-Tournament Team, was an All-MAAC First Team selection last season. He ranked 11th on the MAAC scoring chart, averaging 13.8 points an outing. Benn is the league's top returning rebounder this season, after pulling down 9.3 caroms a night for the Purple Eagles. He also ranked 14th in field goal percentage (43.0 percent) and 10th in assists (2.7 per game).

Lewis, another member of the 2009 Citizens Bank MAAC Basketball Championship All-Tournament Team, also earned a spot on the All-MAAC First Team last season. He ranked third in the MAAC in scoring, averaging 16.2 points per outing. Lewis led the conference in steals, recording 2.6 takeaways a night, as well at three-point field goals made, logging 2.8 treys per game.

Moore, a All-MAAC Second Team choice last season, led the led the league in assists per game (6.4) and assist/turnover ratio (2.9). He also recorded 1.6 steals per game, good for sixth place in the MAAC, along with 8.7 points and 3.6 rebounds an outing.
Ubiles, a two-time member of the All-MAAC First Team, finished his junior campaign eighth on the MAAC scoring list, netting 15.0 points a night for the Saints. He also owned a 49.3 percent field goal percentage, good for ninth place in the league statistics.