1. Vermont

Once again, the reigning champions fall in the top spot in this year’s America East (AE) conference preseason rankings. Vermont tallied 62 points, including six first-place votes. The Catamounts enter the season as back-to-back champions. Returning to the Catamounts’ roster are two of their top four scorers from last year, including graduate student guard Aaron Deloney, a two-time AE sixth man of the year who averaged 11.6 points and 2.3 rebounds per game last season. Also returning is graduate student forward Matt Veretto who started 26 out of 34 games for Vermont last season and averaged 8.9 points per game. The Catamounts bid farewell to their top two scorers from last season — fifth-year guard Dylan Penn, who earned AE second-team all-conference and fifth-year guard Finn Sullivan, who was named to the AE first-team all-conference. Last season Sullivan was named the Kevin Roberson AE player of the year. He is the seventh-straight Catamount to be given this award. He ranked fourth in scoring in conference play and averaged 15.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game. Another loss for Vermont is fifith year guard Robin Duncan, who led the league in assists tallying a total of 149 throughout the season. A notable returner is sophomore guard TJ Hurley, who was named to the all-rookie team, after averaging 5.1 points per game. The Catamounts were the best in the conference when it came to knocking down three-pointers, averaging 8.6 per game. Last season Vermont captured its 10th championship win, the highest total in conference history. In addition, last year’s title marks the Catamounts’ second straight AE championship and its fourth in the last five years.

2. UMass Lowell

It’s no surprise to find UMass Lowell second on this list, after making it to the championship game against Vermont last season and finishing the season with a historic 26-game win total. The River Hawks tallied 55 points, including three first-place votes. Returning to the roster are three of their starters including graduate student forward Abdoul Karim Coulibaly who averaged 7.6 rebounds per game, the most on his team and was also named to the AE second-team all-conference. Senior forward Max Brooks who started in all 34 games he played, averaged 8.3 points and 5.4 rebounds per game and was named to the all-defensive team returns as well. The biggest loss for the River Hawks is graduate student guard Everette Hammond, who was named to the first team all-conference and averaged 13.6 points per game, the highest on his team, 4.8 rebounds, the third best on his team and finished ninth in the conference with 462 points. As a team, the River Hawks averaged 78.0 points per game and 38.6 combined team rebounds per game. They also only gave up 66.0 points per game to their opponents, which was the lowest total in the conference. They hit 48.4 percent of their shots, which was the best in the conference. In addition, the AE conference coach of the year was awarded to UMass Lowell head coach Pat Duquette. UMass set records for wins with 26 league wins and 11 conference wins. The River Hawks enter the season hoping to earn the coveted AE championship title that they just came up short of winning.

3. Bryant

For its second official season in the AE Conference, the Bulldogs earned the third spot on this list with 51 points. Last season they won 17 of their games and averaged the most points per game with 79.4 in the conference. They also had the highest combined team rebounds with 39.3 per game in the conference and were the best in team defensive rebounds with 28.7 per game. Returning this season is graduate student guard Sherif Gross-Bullock who led the conference in points, averaging 17.1 points per game. Gross-Bullock was also named AE newcomer of the year after his exceptional first season in the conference and was named to the AE first-team all-conference as well. Also returning is senior guard Earl Timberlake who was eighth in the conference in points with 13.8 points per game and was named to the AE second-team all-conference team along with graduate student guard Charles Pride, who will not be returning this season after transferring to St. Bonaventure. Timberlake posted nine double-doubles and ranked third in rebounding in the conference. Bryant enters its third season in the AE looking and will very much be in contention for an AE title.

4. Binghamton

5. Maine

After being ranked last in 2022-2023 preseason polls, Maine has climbed up this list to fifth with a total of 36 points. In his first season, Maine head coach Chris Markwood was able to achieve a seventh-place finish win for the Black Bears, after they finished in last the season prior. They ended with a total of 2,054 points throughout 30 games. Returning to the Black Bears is junior guard Kellen Tynes, who as a sophomore was named AE defensive player of the year. Tynes led the nation with 98 steals averaging 3.3 per game and he was named to the AE all-defensive team and the AE third-team all-conference. Another player named to the AE third-team all-conference was fifth-year Gedi Juozapaitis who finished third in the conference in points, averaging 15.4 per game. Juzozapaitis will not be on the Black Bears roster this season after leading his team in points last season. Sophomore guard Jaden Clayton was named to the AE all-rookie team and started all 30 games he played in the regular season and averaged 6.9 points per game and 3.4 rebounds per game. The Black Bears led the league in steals with 284, averaging 9.47 per game. Markwood enters his second season as head coach and is continuing to build this team and take them to new heights.

6. UMBC

Despite finishing the 2022-2023 season in fourth place, UMBC was ranked sixth in the preseason poll with a total of 25 points. The Retrievers won 18 out of 32 games and averaged 74.3 points per game, the third-best in the conference. One of the biggest losses for UMBC is graduate student guard Colton Lawrence, who was the Retriever’s leading scorer, averaging 12.2 points per game and was the only UMBC player named to an AE all-conference team. Returning to the Retrievers is sophomore guard Dion Brown who was named to the AE all-rookie team last season. As a freshman, Brown played in 22 out of 32 regular season games and averaged 7.7 points per game and 4.0 rebounds per game. Joining the Retrievers is junior guard Marlon Short, who led his team in scoring and averaged 15.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game during his sophomore year. The Retrievers led the conference when it came to making their free throws, hitting 75 percent of their shots. They earned 74.3 points per game, the third-best in the conference. If UMBC keeps up with this offense-heavy style of play and continues to score, they can hopefully reclaim a top-two finish like they had in the 2021-2022 season.

7. UAlbany

The Great Danes ended their 2022-2023 season in last place but racked up 23 points to earn the seventh-place spot in the preseason poll. Returning to the roster is sophomore forward Jonathan Beagle, who earned a spot on the AE all-rookie team and was awarded AE rookie of the year. Beagle averaged 12.4 points per game which was the second best on his team as a freshman. Beagle also started in 29 games out of the 31 he played and he is one of six players in the conference to shoot over 50 percent from the floor. Also returning is redshirt sophomore Justin Neely, who played only two games last season due to injury but averaged 8.0 points per game, in the ones he appeared in — this was the fourth-best on his team. Not returning this season is senior forward Gerald Drumgoole Jr., who led the Great Danes in points, averaging 15.7 per game and was second in rebounds per game. Drumgoole was also second in the conference for points totaling 488 throughout the season and led the league in three-point field goals, averaging 2.5 per game. As a team, the Great Danes only gave up 33.5 rebounds per game, which was the third lowest in the conference. UAlbany has a lot of young talent on its roster and is looking to make several improvements from last year.

8. New Hampshire

Although UNH finished third last season, they tallied 18 points in the preseason poll, earning the eighth spot. A notable return to the roster is senior forward Clarence Daniels. Daniels led the team with 15.3 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. He also led the conference in rebounds per game and was ranked seventh nationally. Daniels was named to the first team all-conference. Two transfers are junior guard Ahmad Robinson and graduate student guard Naim Miller will also join the Wildcats. Robinson led his former team in scoring, assists and steals. Miller also led his former team in scoring, as well as minutes played. Also joining the team is freshman forward Davide Poser, coming off of a stint of professional ball in Italy. Although the Wildcats have added new additions who they hope can take this team to new levels, a notable loss for UNH is senior guard Nick Johnson. Johnson was second on the team in points per game and third team in rebounds per game. He was also named to the AE third-team all-conference and the all-defensive team. UNH’s defense was the best in the conference in preventing three-point shots and held off the other teams from even attempting three-point shots. The Wildcats this upcoming season can build off of their third-place finish last season with their returning and new players and continue their defense-heavy style of play.

9. NJIT

To round out this list is NJIT, with 10 points in the preseason poll. The Highlanders had the least number of wins in the conference, winning seven of their 30 games and ending their season in eighth place. Despite this, the Highlanders were still third-best in the conference in three-point shots they attempted, knocking down 34.9 percent of their attempts. As the Highlanders look to improve from last season, they have 11 newcomers joining the roster. Graduate student guard Elijah Buchanan and graduate student forward Daniel Schreier come from Manhattan College joined with the NJIT’s new assistant coach, RaShawn Stores. Among the newcomers are nine freshmen who are joined by five returning players. Returning to NJIT is graduate student guard Adam Hess, who was third among his teammates in points averaging 10.7 per game. Two major losses this season are senior forward Miles Coleman who led the team in points per game and graduate student forward Kevin Oswae who led the team in total points and rebounds throughout the season. Oswae was also second-best when it came to defensive rebounds, averaging 9.0 per game. This put the Highlanders fourth in the conference for defensive rebounds. NJIT has a lot of new talent on their roster this year and is hoping that they are the missing pieces that can take this team to a higher finish in the AE this season.