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Bridgewater, NJ -- A trio of players from preseason favorite LIU highlight the Preseason All-NEC team as selected by the conference’s head coaches.
 
The announcement of the team, along with the preseason coaches’ poll, kicked off NEC’s Men’s Basketball Media Week on Monday.
 
This year’s preseason team features four Division I transfers, three of whom are ready to take center stage for defending league champion LIU, and a returning All-NEC performer.
 
Senior guard Vasean Allette (Scarborough, Ontario, Canada/United Scholastic Academy (TCU/UTSA), redshirt sophomore guard Daquan Davis (Baltimore, MD/Overtime Elite Academy (Florida State/Providence)) and junior forward Jahki Howard (Boston, MA/Overtime Elite Academy (Auburn/Utah)) arrive in the Big Apple as part of a reloaded Sharks’ roster that brings a fresh dose of talent and experience to Brooklyn.
 
The remaining two Preseason All-NEC selections are both familiar faces on the circuit that will be donning the Green and White of Mercyhurst, last season’s NEC Tournament runner-up and the second-place finisher in this year’s preseason coaches’ poll. Joining junior guard Jake Lemelman (Newton, MA/The MacDuffie School), an All-NEC Third Team member a year ago, is veteran swingman and Le Moyne senior transfer Tennessee Rainwater (Davenport, WA/Davenport (Utah Tech/Le Moyne)).
 
Explosive guard play has been a calling card to the Sharks’ success under fifth-year head coach and former NBA All-Star point guard Rod Strickland, making the home of the NEC defending champs a perfect fit for Allette. The 6-2 veteran brings a dynamic blend of scoring, playmaking and rebounding along with high-major experience from stops at Old Dominion, TCU and UTSA. Allette showcased his all-around ability with the Horned Frogs in 2024-25, averaging 11.4 points, 4.1 boards and 3.5 dimes per game in 32 appearances. With his ability to score at all three levels, attack off the dribble and make plays, the crafty guard adds another dimension to an LIU squad that looks to make another postseason push in 2026-27.
 
Davis, a 6-1 Baltimore native, brings a dynamic blend of quickness and court vision to the LIU backcourt. He spent his freshman campaign at Florida State where in 31 games, he put up 8.8 points, 2.5 assists and 2.3 boards per contest. After an injury limited him to just three appearances at his most recent stop at Providence in 2025-26, Davis will look to get back on track in Brooklyn, where his defensive intensity and ability to push the pace can provide a valuable boost for the Sharks.

Howard, a high-flying 6-6 forward with a flair for playing above the rim, brings a high-major pedigree to LIU following stops at Auburn and Utah. The Bostonian logged time in 21 games as a rookie in 2024-25, averaging 4.2 points on an efficient 53.6 percent shooting from the floor for the Tigers.
 
Lemelman enters the new season as the NEC’s top returning scorer and one of the circuit’s top offensive threats. The Commonwealth State product averaged 13.9 points per game last season, ranking 10th in the conference, and topped the 20-point mark nine times. A dangerous perimeter shooter, he knocked down 61 three-pointers at a 39.6 percent clip, the fourth-best mark in the NEC. But Lemelman is far from a one-dimensional scorer. Shifty off the dribble, he can create his own shot in the mid-range or attack the rim, while his court vision makes him equally dangerous as a distributor. He led the Lakers with 104 assists, averaging 3.2 per game to rank fifth in the league. With the ability to score at all three levels or set up his teammates, Lemelman will once again be a focal point of Mercyhurst’s offense.
 
The Lakers will receive a major boost with the addition of Rainwater, a versatile and veteran playmaker who arrived in Erie by way of Le Moyne. The 6-7 swingman hit his stride midway through his inaugural NEC campaign last winter, emerging as a consistent offensive threat and averaging 12.4 points over his final 15 contests. Rainwater’s late-season surge featured a 25-point explosion against Wagner on Jan. 23. The Davenport, WA native proved to be an exceptionally efficient offensive threat, averaging 9.8 points per game while ranking fifth in the NEC in field goal accuracy at 58.0 percent. Selective but deadly from beyond the arc, Rainwater picked his spots and connected at a blistering 50.0 percent clip (21-of-42), while also showing off his above-the-rim athleticism with the sixth-most dunks in the conference. His impact extended well beyond scoring, as he chipped in 4.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game, highlighting his versatility and ability to impact the game in a multitude of ways.

About The NEC
Now in its 46th season, the NEC is an NCAA Division I collegiate athletic association consisting of nine institutions of higher learning located throughout six states. Media coverage of the NEC extends to a number of the largest markets in the United States including New York (#1), Chicago (#3), Boston (#9). Hartford/New Haven (#32) and Syracuse (#88). Founded in 1981 as the basketball-only ECAC Metro Conference, the NEC has grown to sponsor 25 sports for men and women and now enjoys automatic access to 17 different NCAA Championships. NEC full member institutions include Central Connecticut, Chicago State, FDU, Le Moyne, LIU, Mercyhurst, New Haven, Stonehill and Wagner. For more information on the NEC, visit the league’s official website (www.necsports.com) and digital network (www.necfrontrow.com), or follow the league on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, all @NECsports.