University of Dayton senior forward Nate Santos, redshirt senior guard Posh Alexander, and senior guard Enoch Cheeks have been recognized with Preseason Atlantic 10 honors based on a poll of the conference’s head coaches and select media.
Santos earned a spot on the A-10 Preseason First Team, while Alexander was named to the Second Team. Both Alexander and Cheeks were also included on the All-Defensive Team.
Additionally, the Flyers were predicted to finish second in the league’s preseason poll, a reveal that happened during the A-10 Media Day at District E, near Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., where the 2025 Atlantic 10 Men’s Basketball Championship will take place.
Dayton received 394 out of a possible 450 voting points and secured six first-place votes. Preseason favorite VCU led with 421 points and 14 first-place votes, while Dayton closely followed a competitive pack including Saint Joseph’s (376 points with five first-place votes), Saint Louis (371 points with two votes), and Loyola Chicago (368 points with two votes). George Mason (262 points), Richmond (230), and Duquesne (222)—which also received one first-place vote—rounded out the top group.
The preseason rankings also included Massachusetts, St. Bonaventure, Rhode Island, Davidson, George Washington, Fordham, and La Salle.
Santos, who was previously named to the third team, has now been honored as First Team Preseason All-Atlantic 10. The 6-7 forward from Geneva, Ill. was the Flyers’ second-leading scorer (11.7 points) and rebounder (6.3) last season, and he ranked fourth in the A-10 in three-point shooting (.418, 51-122) and tenth in rebounding.
Alexander, a fifth-year transfer with over 1,000 career points and 500 assists, is the fourth recruit from New York City in coach Anthony Grant’s tenure at UD. He led the Big East in steals for four consecutive seasons (three at St. John’s and one at Butler). Last season at Butler, he averaged 11.3 points, 4.9 assists, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.2 steals per game, ranking 16th nationally in steals. During his three years at St. John’s, he posted averages of 10.9, 13.8, and 10.2 points per game.
In his first season at UD following a transfer from Robert Morris, Cheeks led the team in steals (40), was second in blocked shots (21), and third in rebounding (4.7). The Providence, R.I. native won UD’s Steve McElvene Award for the 2023-24 season. He consistently defended opponents’ top perimeter players, holding them below their scoring average in 17 out of 25 games where a guard or wing was the primary scorer. Cheeks started all 33 games, averaging 8.1 points per game (9.5 in A-10 play).
Dayton returns three starters from a successful squad that finished 25-8 overall last season and took third place in the Atlantic 10 Conference. The Flyers earned a No. 7 seed in the NCAA tournament, advancing to the second round, and boast five players on their roster who have received all-conference honors: Santos, Alexander, Cheeks, Javon Bennett, and Malachi Smith.
Leave a Reply