BOSTON— Boston University, which returns all 11 letter winners from last season's team, was picked to win the 2002 America East Men's Basketball Championship in voting conducted by the conference's coaches. The announcement was made at America East Basketball Media Day at Matthews Arena on the Northeastern University campus. The Terriers earned five of a possible nine first-place votes and 77 total votes to finish just ahead of University of Maine, which received the four remaining first-place votes and 76 votes overall.
Northeastern was chosen third with 59 votes, followed by University of Vermont (54), University of Hartford (40) and University of New Hampshire (37). Stony Brook University (35), University at Albany (16) and Binghamton University (11) rounded out the poll.
The Terriers, 14-14 overall last season and 9-9 in America East, return 2001 All-Rookie Selection Jason Grochowalski, 2000 America East Rookie of the Year Paul Seymour and junior Matt Turner, among seven players who averaged at least 22 minutes per game last season. Grochowalski, a 6-6 swingman, led the Terriers in scoring with 12.7 ppg. Seymour (12 ppg, 54 three-pointers) and Turner (11.5 ppg, 52 three-pointers) are other threats along the perimeter for eighth-year head coach Dennis Wolff, who is the only coach in America East with a conference championship on his resume (1997).
Maine owns the best winning percentage among the nine America East schools over the past three years. Head coach John Giannini's teams are 61-27 over that period and return versatile 6-3 senior Errick Greene (10.6 ppg), who played every position but center for the Black Bears last season.
Rookie head coach Ron Everhart takes over at Northeastern, looking to improve on the Huskies' 10-19 mark of a season ago. Everhart, the former head coach at McNeese State, who guided the Cowboys to a 22-9 record and an NIT berth last year, welcomes 10 newcomers to his team. Sophomore Toby Brittian, who sat out last season after averaging 10.1 ppg as a rookie in 1999-2000, is back along with fifth-year senior Jean Bain (7.8 ppg, 122 assists) and senior Ricky Cranford (16.6 ppg), the only returning all-conference player in America East.
Vermont head coach Tom Brennan begins his 16th season with the Catamounts. Sophomore T.J. Sorrentine averaged 14.8 ppg last year and led America East with 159 assists. Senior Trevor Gaines is the active rebounding leader in the conference with 562 boards.
Larry Harrison begins his second season at Hartford with six newcomers added to a core that includes 2001 All-Rookie choice Ryan Stys, who averaged 11.9 ppg with 93 assists last season.
New Hampshire should be battle-tested by the time the conference schedule rolls around. The Wildcats play at Notre Dame, at Connecticut, and at Boston College before playing host to Florida at the Whittemore Center on November 28. Ten letter winners, including leading scorer Austin Ganly (13.3 ppg), return for head coach Phil Rowe.
Nick Macarchuk returns to America East after a 14-year absence. Macarchuk coached Canisius from 1977-87 when the Golden Griffins were in America East (then North Atlantic Conference) and won Coach of the Year honors in 1983-84. The Seawolves return D.J. Munir (10.8 pg) and add Larry Jennings, a transfer from St. Joseph's who started 52 games in two seasons with the Hawks.
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Binghamton, which is not eligible for the America East Championship until 2004 in its transition to Division I, has the building blocks in place for a successful future. Second-year head coach Al Walker has seen ground broken on a new 6,000-seat Arena on the Bearcat campus.
2001-02 America East Conference
Preseason Men’s Basketball Poll
1. Boston University (5), 77
2. Maine (4), 76
3. Northeastern, 59
4. Vermont, 54
5. Hartford, 40
6. New Hampshire, 37
7. Stony Brook, 35
8. Albany, 16
9. Binghamton, 11