Canisius College seniors Harold Washington and Alshwan Hymes, along with junior Billy Baron were named to the 2012-13 Preseason All-Big Four Basketball Teams, which were announced Thursday at the Big Four Basketball Media Day, held at Pearl Street Grill and Brewery in downtown Buffalo. Washington was named to the Preseason All-Big Four First Team, while Hymes and Baron earned second-team honors on the preseason all-star unit. The 2012-13 Preseason All-Big Four Teams were voted on by local media and the athletic communications staffs that cover Buffalo, Canisius, Niagara and St. Bonaventure.

Washington played in all 30 games last season and led the Golden Griffins with his 17.0 points per game scoring average, which ranked fourth in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. He was named to the All-MAAC Second Team after his junior campaign, which he ended as the first Canisius player since 1977-78 to score more than 500 points in his first year in Canisius Blue and Gold. Washington scored in double figures a team-high 26 times last season and ended the year ranked third on the team with his 4.3 rebounds per game.

Washington is one of five members of the Preseason All-Big Four First Team, where he is joined by St. Bonaventure senior forward Demitrius Conger, Niagara sophomore guard Juan'ya Green, Niagara redshirt-sophomore guard Antoine Mason and Buffalo junior forward Javon McCrea. McCrea was voted the 2012-13 Preseason All-Big Four Player of the Year after he averaged 14.7 points and 6.9 rebounds per game last season for the Bulls in 31 contest.

Hymes and Baron were voted to the second-team, where they were joined by St. Bonaventure junior guard Charlon Kloof, Buffalo junior guard Jarod Oldham and Buffalo sophomore forward Will Regan. Hymes ranked second on the team last year with his 15.4 points per game and he led the MAAC in 3-point field goals per contest with 2.8, which ranked 22nd in the nation. A three-year letterwinner for the Blue and Gold, the DeWitt, N.Y., native enters his final season in a Canisius uniform as the program's active leader in career games played with 84, and he needs just 25 more 3-pointers to become the second player in school history to make 200 career treys. Baron, who received a transfer waiver from the NCAA in August, comes to Canisius after he played 20 games at Rhode Island in 2011-12. He averaged 14.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game for the Rams in the Atlantic 10 while playing for his father Jim Baron, who is entering his first year as Canisius' head coach.

Canisius will officially open the 2012-13 season on Monday, Nov. 12, when the team plays host to Boston University in the Koessler Athletic Center. Tipoff on opening night is set for 7 p.m.

2012-12 Preseason All-Big Four Men's Basketball Teams

First Team
Demitrius Conger, St. Bonaventure (12.1 ppg., 6.2 rpg.)
Juan'ya Green, Niagara (17.7 ppg., 4.5 apg.)
Antoine Mason, Niagara (15.1 ppg., 4.6 rpg.)
Javon McCrea, Buffalo (14.7 ppg., 6.9 rpg.) - Preseason Player of the Year
Harold Washington, Canisius (17.0 ppg., 4.3 rpg.)

Second Team
Billy Baron, Canisius (13.0 ppg., 4.4 rpg. at Rhode Island)
Alshwan Hymes, Canisius (15.4 ppg., 3.2 rpg.)
Charlon Kloof, St. Bonaventure (6.4 ppg., 2.7 apg.)
Jarod Oldham, Buffalo (4.7 ppg., 5.9 apg.)
Will Regan, Buffalo (1.3 ppg., 0.9 rpg. at Virginia in 2010-11)