The America East Conference on Monday announced their pre-season coaches poll, along with the All-Conference player selections for the upcoming 2024-25 men’s and women’s basketball season.
The University of Maine was picked to win America East on the women’s side, after capturing their first title since 2019 last season by defeating Vermont in the championship game. The Black Bears get back three starters from the 2023-24 squad that went 24-10 and 14-2 in conference play. Sarah Talon, Caroline Bornemann, and Olivia Rockwood are the returners. 2022-23 Player of the Year Adrianna Smith is going to miss this season with a knee injury suffered in practice earlier this month. Maine topped the poll with five first place votes and 60 total points, followed by Albany (three first place votes), and Vermont. Here is the full poll:
1. Maine (5 first place votes)- 60 total
2. Albany (3)- 56
3. Vermont- 48
4. Bryant- 44
5. Binghamton (1)- 38
6. UMBC- 26
7. UMass-Lowell- 19
8. NJIT- 18
9. UNH- 15
Here is the women’s America East preaseason All-Conference player selections- Graduate guard Kayla Cooper (Albany), sophomore guard Mia Mancini (Bryant), graduate forward Anna Olson (Vermont), junior guard Jadyn Weltz (Binghamton), and senior forward Adrianna Smith (Maine-injured out for the season).
On the men’s side after winning five of the last six conference titles, Vermont is picked to win the America East again, garnering eight of the nine first place votes. The Catamounts return seven of their top nine scorers, including the top two in TJ Long and Shamir Bogues who are both All-Conference selections for a team that went 28-7 and 15-1 in conference play in 2023-24. The runner-up the last two seasons UMass-Lowell is picked second, while Bryant rounds out the top three. The Maine Black Bears, who return two of their top three scorers in guards Kellen Tynes and Jaden Clayton, were tabbed to finish in fourth place which is the highest preseason ranking since 2010-11 when they were picked third. Here is the full poll-
1. Vermont (8 first place votes)- 64 total points
2. UMass-Lowell (1)- 55
3. Bryant- 52
4. Maine- 39
5. UMBC- 31
6. Binghamton- 30
7. Albany- 26
8. NJIT- 15
9. UNH- 12
Here is the men’s preseason America East All-Conference player selections- Senior guard Marcus Banks, Jr. (UMBC), senior guard Shamir Bogues (Vermont), senior guard TJ Long (Vermont), graduate forward Max Brooks (UMass-Lowell), and senior guard Earl Timberlake (Bryant).
