Washington Adventist University Men’s Basketball Achieves Best Start in School History
Takoma Park, Md. (December 6, 2017) The Washington Adventist University men’s basketball team is off to the best start in school history. The Shock maintained their perfect start to the year, improving to 9-0, with a recent win over Elizabeth City State University (North Carolina).
The Shock, led by seventh-year head coach and Athletic Director Patrick E. Crarey, II has formed a roster that has the ability to make a run at the national tournament. The roster boasts of four experienced seniors in Tyrus Fleetwood (SR/Hagerstown, MD), Elliot Meredith (SR/Bedford, OH), Eric Lindsey (SR/Churchton, MD), and Brian Bridgeforth (SR/Washington, DC). In the USCAA Coaches poll, the team currently holds the #1 spot in the first poll of the year. The Shock have been battle tested after winning six games straight on the road, all in convincing fashion. The highlight came when the Shock knocked off the #5 ranked University of St. Francis (Illinois), 71-60, on the St. Francis Fighting Saints home court.
“I’m so proud of the players and staff. We are a blue collar group that has worked very hard for years and it seems to all be paying off now,” said Coach Crarey. “Our players have extremely high characters and when you combine that with work ethic and talent you can’t lose. We are happy with our start, but we are not satisfied. All of our goals this year are in reach, and we look forward to competing for another national championship.”
With team success follows individual accolades. has already garnished a USCAA (United States Collegiate Athletic Association) Player of the Week award, A.I.I. Conference Player of the Week award, two All-Tournament Teams, and a MVP Award. In addition, Bridgeforth became the third player to score 1,000 career points, joining and was named to the University of St. Francis All-Tournament Team and eclipsed his 1,000th career point in the second contest of the season against Point Park University (Pennsylvania).
The team also garnished national recognition for the first time in school history. The Shock received 53 votes for the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) Division II Men’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. The Shock are currently ranked 26th in the nation and are on the cusp of receiving a Top 25 ranking for the first time in school history.
| RANK | LAST WEEK^ | SCHOOL (1ST PLACE VOTES) | Record | TOTAL POINTS |
| 1 | 1 | Saint Francis (Ind.) (12) | 10-0 | 312 |
| 2 | 8 | Cornerstone (Mich.) | 8-1 | 299 |
| 3 | 2 | Indiana Wesleyan | 7-1 | 294 |
| 4 | 15 | St. Thomas (Fla.) | 7-0 | 270 |
| 5 | 9 | Indiana East | 7-1 | 265 |
| 6 | NR | Northwestern (Iowa) | 10-1 | 264 |
| 7 | 3 | Davenport (Mich.) | 7-2 | 260 |
| 8 | 7 | College of Idaho | 7-2 | 239 |
| 9 | 19 | Warner (Fla.) | 7-1 | 228 |
| 10 | 25 | Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) | 7-2 | 205 |
| 11 | 11 | Union (Ky.) | 8-3 | 203 |
| 12 | NR | Taylor (Ind.) | 8-0 | 198 |
| 13 | 12 | Northwest Christian (Ore.) | 5-1 | 188 |
| 14 | 23 | Rochester (Mich.) | 12-1 | 187 |
| 15 | 17 | York (Neb.) | 6-2 | 162 |
| 16 | 21 | Midland (Neb.) | 7-2 | 151 |
| 17 | 16 | Bethel (Ind.) | 7-2 | 130 |
| 18 | 5 | St. Francis (Ill.) | 2-3 | 118 |
| 19 | NR | Indiana Southeast | 5-1 | 117 |
| 20 | 6 | Keiser (Fla.) | 3-2 | 115 |
| 21 | NR | Viterbo (Wis.) | 5-2 | 114 |
| 22 | NR | Northwest (Wash.) | 9-0 | 101 |
| 23 | NR | Morningside (Iowa) | 7-2 | 96 |
| 24 | NR | Saint Mary (Kan.) | 9-1 | 95 |
| 25 | 4 | Briar Cliff (Iowa) | 6-3 | 73 |
Others receiving votes: Eastern Oregon 53; Washington Adventist (Md.) 53; Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) 37; Tennessee Wesleyan 29; Cardinal Stritch (Wis.) 27; Northwestern Ohio 27; Southeastern (Fla.) 22; Pacific Union (Calif.) 8; Tabor (Kan.) 7; Southern Oregon 5; Michigan-Dearborn 5
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Washington Adventist University is Montgomery County’s only four-year private college. Part of the Seventh-day Adventist system of higher education, Washington Adventist University has been educating college students since 1904 on a 19-acre campus in suburban Takoma Park, close to the nation’s capital. Approximately 1,100 students of all faiths participate in the university’s nine graduate and 42 undergraduate programs. The 2016 edition of U.S. News & World Report ranked Washington Adventist University among the best regional colleges in the north.
Media Contacts:
Angie Crews, 301-891-4134,
Donna Bigler, 240-286-1169,