Reigning America East Player of the Year T.J. Sorrentine leads the preseason all-conference team, as determined by a vote of the head coaches. The 5-11 junior point guard is joined on the preseason all-conference team by senior forward Billy Collins of Boston University and senior center Justin Rowe of Maine, each of whom received first-team all-conference recognition last year. Sophomore forward Taylor Coppenrath of Vermont and sophomore guard Chaz Carr of Boston University were also named to the preseason team, which is chosen regardless of position.
Last season Sorrentine became the third sophomore in conference history to win Kevin Roberson Player of the Year honors, joining Speedy Claxton, now with the San Antonio Spurs, and Reggie Lewis, the captain of the Boston Celtics at the time of his death in 1993. Sorrentine led America East in scoring (18.8 ppg) and was third in assists (116) and steals last season. He added 90 three-pointers, third on the conference single-season list. He is currently sidelined with fractures in both wrists after suffering the injuries in an intrasquad scrimmage.
The 6-7 Collins was arguably the conference’s top all-around player a season ago, finishing among the conference leaders in scoring (12.0 ppg) and rebounding (8.1 rpg) while leading the conference in three-point field goal percentage (.482). He was named the Reggie Lewis Most Outstanding Player at the America East Championship after averaging 12.3 points per game and 8.3 rebounds per game in leading the Terriers to the title.
Rowe, the first seven-footer to play at Maine, was a first-team all-conference choice in 2001-02 after averaging 12.6 points per game and 8.0 rebounds per game while setting a school record with 121 blocks. It was his first season with the Black Bears after transferring from Clearwater Christian College.
The 6-9 Coppenrath was the conference’s Rookie of the Year and a second-team all-conference choice last year after averaging 16.6 points per game and 7.0 rebounds per game.
Carr, a 6-0 shooting guard, scored 13.5 points per game and added 86 assists as a rookie, when he was named to the all-conference second team. He averaged 17.3 points per game as an all-championship selection at the America East Championship.
The America East Championship will be held in Boston on Sunday, March 9 (quarterfinals) and Monday, March 10 (semifinals) at Walter Brown Arena on the Boston University campus. The host Terriers will play in the first quarterfinal session on Sunday, which begins at 12 noon. The second quarterfinal session is slated to begin at 6 p.m. Sunday. Semifinal games will be played at 7 and 9:30 p.m. on Monday. The championship game will be played Saturday, March 15 at the home court of the higher seeded team, and will be televised by ESPN, beginning at 11:30 a.m.