BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Gulf South Conference has released its 2024-25 Men's Basketball Preseason awards and Coaches Poll with Montevallo landing two on the Newcomer Watchlist while being tabbed ninth in the GSC.
 
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The Falcons were voted ninth in the GSC Preseason Coaches' Poll with a total of 39 points ahead of Trevecca Nazarene, Auburn Montgomery, and West Florida. Montevallo's ninth-place ranking mirrors the Falcons' finish from a season ago. Alabama Huntsville tallied 115 points and six first-place votes while Lee was voted second and West Alabama voted third.
 
Montevallo transfer duo Max Gardner and Jay Gillispie were selected to the GSC Newcomer Watchlist in their first season as Div. II athletes. Gardner, a graduate transfer from Huntingdon College, comes to Montevallo after playing four seasons in Montgomery, Ala. As a team captain at Huntingdon, Gardner averaged 15.5 points per game, 7.3 rebounds per game and 3.3 assists per game in his senior season. The Decatur, Ala. native was a two-time All-Conference selection in each of his last two seasons at Huntingdon. Gillispie joins Anthony Komara's squad after spending four seasons at Div. III Birmingham Southern. In his time at BSC, Gillispie averaged 10.2 points per game on a .479 career shooting percentage in 89 career games. The graduate transfer also tallied 7.7 rebounds per game while being named All-Conference in back-to-back seasons.
 
The Falcons tipoff the 2024-25 season on Nov. 8 when Montevallo hosts Barry in the first game of the Gulf South/Sunshine State Crossover Classic.