1. Vermont (28-7, 15-1 AE)

As expected, perennial America East powerhouse and reigning champion Vermont was selected as the top team in this year’s AE conference preseason rankings. Vermont tallied 64 points, capturing all eight possible first-place votes. The Catamounts enter the season having won three consecutive AE postseason titles, eight consecutive AE regular-season titles and on the back of a dominant year in which they went 15-1 in AE play. Notable returners for Vermont include their top two scorers, senior guards TJ Long and Shamir Bogues, who are both 2024-25 AE preseason all-conference picks. Long also led the Catamounts in points per game last year, averaging 12. He was also named to the AE all-championship team in his junior campaign at Vermont, during which he led the AE in three-point shooting at 37.5 percent. Their arguably most important retention is Bogues, who was the AE Newcomer of the Year, an AE all-conference first team and AE all-defensive team selection, after putting up 11.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. Notable losses for the Catamounts include guard Aaron Deloney, a member of the AE all-conference second team, and forward Matt Veretto. Deloney and Veretto were third and fourth in points per game for Vermont last year, respectively.

2. UMass Lowell (22-10, 11-5 AE)

It stands to reason that UMass Lowell was selected to finish second, receiving 55 points and one first-place vote, as the River Hawks have gone 11-5 in AE play, and have advanced to the AE title game twice in the past two seasons. UMass Lowell will look to advance to its third-straight AE title game on the back of key returner graduate student guard Quinton Mincey, who was named to the AE all-conference second team and the current AE sixth-man of the year, after averaging 14.2 points per game on 50.3 percent shooting. Rounding out the highlight returners is defensive specialist, fifth-year forward Max Brooks. Brooks is a three-time AE all-defensive selection named to last year’s AE all-conference team and is the current owner of the River Hawks’ single-season block record with 68 during his sophomore year. Looking to replace the playmaking production of departed guards Ayinde Hikim and Brayden O’Connor — who accounted for 56.9 percent of the team’s assists — the River Hawks have brought in three transfers.

3. Bryant (20-13, 11-5 AE)

Narrowly trailing UMass Lowell in the preseason poll is the Bryant Bulldogs, who received 52 points, after tying the Riverhawks for second in the AE with an 11-5 conference record last season. Bryant’s up-tempo style of play helped them to force the second-most turnovers in the AE while limiting their opponents to the lowest field-goal percentage in the conference. The key to Bryant’s continued success lies in preseason all-conference member, graduate student guard Earl Timberlake. Timberlake was in the top 11 in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks per game in the AE last year, and was Bryant’s second-highest scorer at 14.6 points per game. Bryant will also lean on senior guard Rafael Pinzon, who averaged 13 points per game, after losing guard Sherif Gross-Bullock, who was fourth in the conference with 17.9 points per game. Looking to fill in defensive gaps, head coach Jared Grasso brought in junior transfers, guard Devean Williams and forward Favour Aire who averaged 2.2 and 2.9 steals per 40 minutes, respectively.

4. Maine (15-17, 7-9 AE)

After ending their 2023-24 campaign with a 15-17, 7-9 AE record, its winningest season since 2010-11, Maine has once again moved up in the preseason rankings, earning 39 points and the fourth position in the preseason rankings. Third-year head coach Chris Markwood will find familiarity with returners graduate student guard Kellen Tynes, and junior guard Jaden Clayton, who have functioned as the backcourt starters for 61 of the 62 total games throughout his tenure. Tynes provides a consistent defensive presence, as the reigning AE defensive player of the year after he led the conference in steals with 70. While Clayton contributed 9.2 points and four assists per game last year, the backcourt duo has proven incredibly efficient, as the Black Bears’ adjusted net rating skyrocketed by 22.4 when they were both on the court. Looking to compensate for frontcourt departures, Maine brought in a pair of six-foot-ten junior forwards, Ridvan Tutic and Killian Gribben, through the transfer portal, which they hope will be the key to their first winning season in 15 years.

5. UMBC (11-21, 6-10 AE)

Coming off a seventh-place AE campaign, the Retrievers were ranked fifth in the preseason poll with 31 points. The biggest loss for UMBC is the departure of junior guard Dion Brown through the transfer portal. Brown, the third-highest scorer in the conference, was the focal point of the Retrievers offense, leading UMBC with 19 points per game on 50.6 percent shooting. Seeking to plug the offensive gap is senior guard Marcus Banks, who was second on the retrievers, and seventh in the AE with 15.1 points per game, while also leading the conference in three-pointers made per game. Banks’ offensive prowess bolstered the retrievers’ expectations, and he was fittingly named to the preseason all-conference team. However, their only currently rostered player over 6-foot-7 is incoming transfer junior forward Louie Jordan, raising questions about their expected small-ball style of play against more physically demanding squads.

6. Binghamton (15-15, 7-9 AE)

7. UAlbany (13-19, 5-11 AE)

The Great Danes ended their 2023-24 campaign in eighth place, but the 26 points and seventh-place position in the preseason poll that they received this season indicates at minimum, intrigue in their new transfer class. After losing the AE’s leading scorer, senior guard Sebastian Thomas, to the transfer portal, AE’s fifth-leading scorer, redshirt junior guard Amar’e Marshall entered the portal seemingly following suit. However, he decided to remain at UAlbany, and his production of 16.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per game will go a long way if he can replicate or build upon his 2023-24 campaign. Finishing off the offseason turnaround, the Great Danes brought in several transfers from Division I programs, including the potential highlight of the incoming class, sophomore forward Sultan Adewale from Iona. A large question mark for the Great Danes is redshirt junior forward Justin Neely, who has only appeared in eight games since his selection as the AE rookie of the year in the 2021-22 season.

8. NJIT (7-21, 3-13 AE)

In eighth place with 15 points in the preseason poll is 2023-24’s last-place finisher, NJIT. After starting AE play 0-6, the Highlanders went 3-7 for the remainder of play, ending the season with a 3-13 conference record. NJIT struggled in a variety of areas, through the 19 team statistics that the AE tracks, they were within the bottom half of the conference in all but steals, turnover margin and offensive rebounds. Despite this, the future for NJIT is far from bleak, as current AE rookie of the year sophomore guard Tariq Francis is a Highlander. Francis dropped 57 points over two games as he powered NJIT to victories over UMass Lowell and Vermont, which was Vermont’s only AE loss on the year. Francis also averaged 19.6 points per game in 11 starts. To achieve significant improvements, Francis will seek jumps from his fellow sophomores, forward Levi Lewal and guard Sebastian Robinson.

9. New Hampshire (16-15, 7-9 AE)

Although UNH finished fourth in the regular season, while also advancing to the AE semifinals before their elimination at the hands of eventual AE champions Vermont, they were selected to finish last in the AE preseason poll getting just 12 points. After an unexpectedly strong 2023-24 season, the Wildcats roster took significant hits across the board, but none will be as impactful as the loss of forward Clarence Daniels. In his second year with the Wildcats, Daniels was awarded the AE Kevin Roberson Player of the Year award after finishing second in the AE with 19.4 points per game, and first with 9.8 rebounds per game. Continuing the depletion of UNH was the departure of guard Ahmad Robinson, as well as forward Jaxson Baker. Robinson was in the top six in the AE for both points and assists per game, averaging 15.4 and 4.7, respectively. Baker, meanwhile, was eighth in rebounds per game, averaging 6.6, while also finishing 22nd in the AE in points per game with 11.7. UNH’s most notable returner is senior forward Trey Woodyard who averaged 7.7 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. Head coach Nathan Davis looked to the transfer portal to reinforce the squad, adding JUCO transfer junior guard Sami Pissis, who averaged 12.1 points and 4.9 assists per game at Chipola College.