DURHAM, N.H. – Just how significant will the loss of Francois Bouchard, Ed Jones and Deonte Hursey be to the University of Maine mens basketball team?

Quite significant in the eyes of the North Atlantic Conference’s coaches. The Black Bears, runners-up in the regular season and the NAC tournament last winter, have been chosen sixth in the preseason coaches poll that was released here Tuesday.

Drexel has been selected to repeat as conference champs, garnering seven of the nine first-place votes and 81 total points. Drexel is followed by New Hampshire (1 first place vote, 63 points); Delaware (1, 56 points); Boston University (50); Hartford (49); Maine (42); Northeastern (39); Vermont (19) and first-year member Hofstra (10).

The preseason All-NAC team consists of Drexel junior center-forward Malik Rose and senior guard Brian Holden; BU sophomore forward Tunji Awojobi; Vermont junior guard Eddie Benton, and New Hampshire senior forward Scott Drapeau.

Maine junior guard Casey Arena said he was very surprised that the Bears were picked as low as sixth.

“But you can’t let it bother you,” said Arena. “It fires you up a little bit. You want to go out and prove them wrong.”

“Being picked low has helped us in the past,” pointed out senior forward Kenny Barnes. “We’ve proven that we were better than they thought we’d be. I feel we are capable of winning the league. The preseason polls don’t mean much.”

Maine was picked to finish sixth in last year’s preseason poll.

Maine coach Rudy Keeling said he can understand his team’s ranking.

“We lost three guys who were four-year players including two (Bouchard and Hursey) who were four-year starters,” said Keeling. “We had a great run last year. We won a lot of close games because we had so much experience.

“We’ve got so many of new faces this year that I feel like we’re behind right now,” added Keeling. “But I think we’re going to be a pretty good team. Hopefully, we’ll be as good as we were last year.”

Bouchard was Maine’s leading scorer and rebounder last season. Jones was the third leading scorer and rebounder and Hursey was fourth in scoring and second in assists.

Keeling thinks players like Ramone Jones and Terry Hunt should be significantly improved with a year of experience. He said his backcourt of Arena and junior college transfer Matt Moore “will be as good as any in the conference.”

“Casey Arena is a great player, no doubt about it,” said Boston University senior Dave Stiff. “And he’s a leader. Francois was a very good player, but Casey is the type of player who controls the game and dictates things.”

The league’s other coaches said there is quite a bit of parity in the league.

“Once you get past Drexel, everybody else is very close,” said Hartford coach Paul Brazeau.

None of the NAC teams have been ranked among the AP’s top 58 teams this preseason.

What will it take for the league to improve its national stature?

“Our teams need to get some good non-conference wins and get past the first-round of the NCAA Tournament,” said Brazeau, referring to the fact the NAC tourney champ has been beaten in the first round of the NCAA tournament for the last five years.

“That’s going to be difficult because we always get matched up against a top team,” Brazeau added.

Said Keeling: “I feel we need to do a better job promoting our league and our players.”

NAC Men’s Poll

The North Atlantic Conference preseason coaches poll for men’s basketball, with first place votes in parenthesis and total points: 1. Drexel (7) 77 2. New Hampshire (1) 63 3. Delaware (1) 56 4. Boston University 50 5. Hartford 49 6. Maine 42 7. Northeastern 39 8. Vermont 19 9. Hofstra 10