BOSTON – Following the program’s seventh conference championship and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament, UAlbany has been selected first in the 2022-23 America East Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll. The Great Danes also had a pair of student-athletes selected to the Preseason All-Conference Team, which was released this morning.
The preseason poll and preseason all-conference team were voted on by the league’s nine head coaches who were not allowed to vote for their own team.
The Great Danes took home 59 points and seven first place votes as they return all five starters and their top eight scorers from a team that went 23-10 and 13-5 in conference play last year. Last season’s runner-up and regular season champion, Maine was picked second with 54 points and returns America East Player of the Year Anne Simon. Vermont earned one first place vote to place third with 46 points, while NJIT was fourth with 42 points and Binghamton placed fifth with 39 points.
This year’s America East All-Conference team is highlighted by a pair of Great Danes in Helene Haegerstrand and Kayla Cooper, who were first-team and second-team all-conference selections last season. Cooper was also named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2022 Conference Championship. They’re joined by Maine’s Anne Simon who claimed both Player and Defensive Player of the Year honors a season ago and is a three-time all-conference honoree.
UVM’s Anna Olson and Emma Utterback were both selected as the duo earned second-team and first-team honors last year. The final member of the Preseason All-Conference Team is Binghamton’s Denai Bowman, a two-time all-conference performer.
2022-23 America East Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll
| No. |
School |
Points (1st Place Votes) |
| 1. |
UAlbany |
59 (7) |
| 2. |
Maine |
54 |
| 3. |
Vermont |
46 (1) |
| 4. |
NJIT |
42 |
| 5. |
Binghamton |
39 (1) |
| 6. |
UMass Lowell |
27 |
| T-7. |
New Hampshire |
21 |
| T-7. |
Bryant |
21 |
| 9. |
UMBC |
15 |
2022 America East Women’s Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team
| Name |
Yr. |
Pos. |
School |
| Denai Bowman |
Sr. |
Guard |
Binghamton |
| Kayla Cooper |
Jr. |
Guard |
UAlbany |
| Helene Haegerstrand |
Sr. |
Forward |
UAlbany |
| Anna Olson |
Jr. |
Forward |
Vermont |
| Anne Simon |
Sr. |
Guard |
Maine |
| Emma Utterback |
Sr. |
Guard |
Vermont |
The 2022-23 season begins on November 7 with conference play starting on Dec. 29. Conference positioning will again prove key for the Jersey Mikes #AEPlayoffs. Every round of the Jersey Mikes #AEPlayoffs will take place on the higher seed’s home court and earning home court advantage will prove crucial once again. Full Composite Schedule
The league champion will earn an automatic berth into the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship, where America East teams have won five games all time.
Fans will once again be able to watch every #AEHoops home game on The AE on ESPN with all games airing on ESPN+ or ESPN3 domestically and AmericaEast.TV internationally.
Follow the @AEHoopsNews Twitter account to stay up-to-date on #AEHoops news all season long.
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