The University at Albany returns four of five starters from last season’s fourth-place team and has been selected as the preseason favorite to win the 2006 America East Men’s Basketball Championship.
Complete Poll
The Great Danes, 13-15 overall last season (9-9 America East), received five first-place votes and 61 points to outscore second ranked Boston University. The Terriers received three of the four remaining firstplace votes and 52 points, while the University of Maine garnered one first-place vote and tallied 46 points. Coaches were not permitted to rank their own teams in the preseason voting.
Binghamton University, which finished fifth a season ago, was chosen to rise to fourth with 43 points. The University of Hartford (41) is expected to move up four spots from last season’s finish into fifth place. Three-time defending conference tournament champion, University of Vermont (31) is picked to finish sixth after graduating several key players from a season ago. Stony Brook University (21), which advanced to the quarterfinals last season, was selected seventh. UMBC (14) and New Hampshire (15) rounded out the nine-team poll.
Head coach Will Brown enjoyed Albany’s best ever America East Conference record last season when the Great Danes went 9-9 and posted a fourth-place finish. Things are expected to continue to look up as the team will return four starters, including two all-conference players from a season ago in Jamar Wilson (16.9 ppg, 3.1 apg) and Lucious Jordan (11.0 ppg, 4.9 rpg). Wilson and Jordan also highlight this year’s Preseason All-Conference Team.
Boston U. (20-9 overall, 14-4 America East in 2004-05) earned a bid to the National Invitation Tournament last season and will welcome back the 2003-04 Defensive Player of the Year, Shaun Wynn. Wynn was selected to the Preseason All-Conference Team and led the team in assists (3.5 apg) and steals (1.8 spg) a season ago. Head coach Dennis Wolff also hopes for a repeat performance from his defense that held opponents to just over 37 percent shooting, the lowest percentage among all NCAA Division 1 schools. Senior Kevin Gardner (5.7 rpg, 13.1 ppg) also returns for the Terriers for his final season as the team’s top low-post threat.
Maine (14-15, 8-10) returns Preseason All-Conference pick Kevin Reed (12.8 ppg, 6.9 rpg) for his senior season. Reed is the active career scoring (1,179) and rebounding (513) leader in America East and ranks 14th on the all-time scoring list at Maine. Second-year Head coach Ted Woodward and the Black Bears have a tough road ahead for the 2005-06 season as they face five teams that either participated in the NCAA Tournament or NIT last season.
Binghamton (12-17, 8-10) head coach Al Walker returns four starters to his Bearcats’ lineup this season. Andre Heard, a second team allconference choice and the ninth leading scorer in the league from a season ago, was selected to the Preseason All-Conference Team. Heard led the team in points (14.3 ppg) and was followed by backcourt mate Troy Hailey (9.1 ppg). Junior Mike Gordon will also be a key player backcourt player this season. The Bearcats will host the will also host the 2006 America East Men’s Basketball Championship at the new 5,511-seat Events Center on campus for the second consecutive year.
Hartford (8-20, 4-14) jumped to fifth place in the poll after finishing at the bottom of the league last season. Head coach Larry Harrison returns his top five scorers from last season, including starters Aaron Cook (14.9 ppg), David Ruffin (8.1 ppg) and Charles Ford (7.2 ppg). Senior transfer Kenny Adeleke, a power forward that scored over 1,000 points and 800 rebounds in three seasons at Hofstra, is also expected to be a low-post force for the Hawks.
Vermont (25-7, 16-2) enters a new era in men’s basketball as head coach Mike Lonergan enters his first season on the sideline for the Catamounts. UVM graduated four of five starters from last season’s championship team, including three-time player of the year Taylor Coppenrath and T.J. Sorrentine. Martin Kilmes is the lone returning starter from last season’s success that will look for help from six returning letterwinners and eight freshmen in the lineup.
Under first-year head coach Steve Pikiell, Stony Brook (12-17, 6-12) readies for the toughest schedule in the school’s history, including four Big East teams, ACC newcomer Boston College and five teams that advanced to the NCAA tournament last year. Three of the five starters will return to the court this season for the Seawolves, including Antwan Hardy (11.0 ppg), Bobby Santiago (10.9 ppg, 3.4 apg) and Mike Popoko (9.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg). Mitchell Beuford (16.8 ppg) will also return to the court after missing last season due to injury.
UMBC (11-18, 5-13) looks to improve upon last season’s ninth-place finish under second-year head coach Randy Monroe. Last season the Retrievers improved their record by 3.5 games and with returning players like sophomore Brian Hodges (9.2 ppg), senior John Zito (6.7 ppg 3.9 rpg) and junior Chris Pugh (3.3 ppg, 1.8 rpg), the 2005-06 season could be improved again for UMBC.
Bill Herrion takes over as head coach for New Hampshire (9-19, 5-13) this season and the future of UNH basketball is looking up. Herrion is no stranger to America East though, compiling a 121-32 record in the league during 1991-1999 while at Drexel. Herrion was one of four coaches named to the America East 20th Year Team in 1998. The Wildcats will look to improve their 5-13 conference record with the help of veteran Blagov Janev (10.9 ppg) and All-Rookie pick Mike Christensen (9.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg).