BOSTON – The 2024-25 basketball season begins on Monday with eight conference teams in action. Maine, UAlbany and Vermont have clinched each of the past three conference championships and those three will be among the conference contenders again this year. Get a breakdown of each of the nine women's programs below, before they hit the court in a few days.
The Preseason Poll and Preseason All-Conference Team were released on Oct. 21 and can be viewed here. The reigning champions of Maine were selected first, while UAlbany who finished second in the regular season was picked second and UVM was third. Check out the Media Day hosted by The Field of 68 below.
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 X (Formerly Twitter) account to stay up-to-date on #AEHoops news all season long.
UAlbany Great Danes
Roster | Schedule | Statistics
Record: 25-7 Overall, 13-3 AE (2nd)
Offense: 60.9 PPG (3rd) | Defense: 51.3 PPG (1st)
Returning Starters: 2
Last Game: at Colgate (First Round WNIT), 64-50
Colleen Mullen enters her seventh season as head coach for UAlbany and was picked second in the preseason poll. The Great Danes have won at least 13 conference games each of the past three seasons and look to continue their success this year. UAlbany returns two starters and welcomes five newcomers to the 2024-25 roster. Mullen’s squad opens the season on November 8 against A-10 runner-up, Rhode Island. The Great Danes also take on Syracuse (11/20), Wisconsin (12/20), and No. 7 nationally ranked LSU (12/29).
UAlbany’s play on the court begins and ends with two-time First Team All-Conference selection Kayla Cooper. Cooper was named to the Preseason All-Conference Team after her 15.9 points per game PPG, 7.3 RPG, and 1.6 SPG in 2023-24. Cooper was fourth in scoring and second in the league rebounding a season ago. The Great Danes return key backcourt mate Meghan Huerter who provided 8.1 PPG including a league-best 45.9% from three-point range and 3.4 RPG. UAlbany added Jessica Tomasetti, a 1,000-point scorer and Second Team All-MAAC selection in 2023-24 Mount St. Mary’s, and Kaci Donovan after three seasons at Monmouth, where she averaged 11.6 PPG and had a team-leading 58 three-pointers last season.
Binghamton Bearcats
Roster | Schedule | Statistics
Record: 14-17 Overall, 8-8 AE (5th)
Offense: 61.9 PPG (2nd) | Defense: 60.3 PPG (5th)
Returning Starters: 3
Last Game: at Maine (Semifinals, America East Tournament), 64-58
Mary Grimes joins Binghamton for her first season at the helm after a successful season at Le Moyne. The Bearcats were picked fifth in the preseason poll following their loss against Maine in the America East Semifinals, 64-58. Grimes and her coaching staff retained three starters and five newcomers for the 2024-25 campaign. The Bearcats were 12-4 when leading with five minutes remaining in regulation. Binghamton hosts Pittsburgh at Johnstown on opening night, November 4, then later takes on ACC opponents via Pittsburgh (11/17) and Syracuse (12/18).
Do-it-all guard Jadyn Weltz returns after a successful sophomore season averaging 10.7 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 4.5 APG, and 1.6 SPG. Weltz was named to the Preseason All-Conference team following her Second Team All-Conference campaign in 2023-24. Binghamton welcomes back Genevieve Coleman, who netted 10.3 PPG and 4.0 RPG, while Camryn Fauria produced 5.7 PPG and 4.6 RPG a season ago. A key addition for the Bearcats was Kaia Goode, who was coached by Grimes at Le Moyne. Goode averaged tallied 7.4 PPG and started all 32 contests last season for the Dolphins.
Bryant Bulldogs
Roster | Schedule | Statistics
Record: 15-15 Overall, 8-8 AE (4th)
Offense: 60.6 PPG (4th) | Defense: 61.0 PPG (6th)
Returning Starters: 3
Last Game: vs. Binghamton (Quarterfinals, America East Tournament), 56-51
Lynn-Ann Kokoski embarks into her second season in Smithfield after 15 wins, which were the most since 2016. The Bearcats also hosted their first playoff game since 2016. The Black and Gold fell to Binghamton in the quarterfinals of the America East Tournament last season. The Bulldogs were picked fourth in the preseason poll and brought back three starters. They added five transfers, alongside three freshmen to round out the 2024-25 roster. Bryant opens the season against Merrimack on November 4th, along with Seton Hall on November 16 and Boston College on December 15 during non-conference action.
The Buldogs welcome back Preseason All-Conference selection Mia Mancini. The guard is the reigning #AEHoops Rookie of the Year, along with being Third-Team All-Conference a season ago. Mancini generated 13.3 PPG and 2.7 APG last season. She led the conference with 74 three-pointers and potted five 20+ point contests in 2023-24. Nia Scott and Martina Boba return to the front court for the Bulldogs. Scott managed 7.0 PPG and 6.4 RPG, while Boba netted 6.8 PPG, 3.0 RPG, and a team-high 1.5 SPG. Kokoski and her staff added a graduate student from Penn State, Ali Brigham. The three-year Nittany Lion averaged 8.7 points last season in all 35 games.
Maine Black Bears
Roster | Schedule | Statistics
2023-24 Record: 24-10 Overall, 14-2 AE (1st)
Offense: 64.1 PPG (1st) | Defense: 57.0 PPG (3rd)
Returning Starters: 3
Last Game: Ohio State (Round of 64, NCAA Tournament), 80-57
Head Coach Amy Vachon led Maine to its first conference title since 2019 last year and the Black Bears were picked first in the preseason poll this year. They were slated to return four starters from last year’s squad; however, 2022-23 Player of the Year Adrianna Smith was injured in practice and will miss the season. The team also lost reigning Player of the Year Anne Simon who led the league in scoring and ranked second in rebounding. Maine will be one of the first teams in the nation to play on Nov. 4, tipping off at 11 a.m. against La Salle in The Pit. They will then host Penn the following Sunday before hitting the road for the first time.
This year the team will rely on a trio of returning starters in Caroline Bournemann, Sarah Talon and Olivia Rockwood and six of their eight top scorers from last season. Bournemann was third on the team in scoring (7.3) and rebounding (5.5) while Talon had arguably her best game of the season in the conference championship with 12 points, five boards and three assists. Rockwood, meanwhile, led the team with 55 threes and had six games with three or more threes. Vachon did bring in transfer Amiyah Donaldson to play some point guard and Asta Blauenfeldt.
UMBC
Roster | Schedule | Statistics
Record: 10-19 Overall, 6-10 AE (6th)
Offense: 58.4 PPG (6th) | Defense: 63.0 PPG (8th)
Returning Starters: 3
Last Game: at Vermont (Quarterfinals, America East Tournament), 54-41
Head Coach Candice Hill enters her first season as a head coach after helping to build a successful program at St. John’s (N.Y.). She takes over a program which has been very competitive in the league over the last two years, finishing sixth last year and then fourth two seasons ago and returns three of the team’s top four scorers from a season ago. Hill’s squad faces the toughest opening night test of any America East team as they welcome No. 18 Maryland to the Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena. Overall the team plays five of its first six games at home and doesn’t leave Baltimore until the Retrievers compete in the Colgate Thanksgiving Tournament at the end of November.
Jaliena Sanchez returns for a fifth collegiate season and her second at UMBC. She’s the team’s top returning scorer at 8.3 PPG while ranking second on the team in assists (2.0 APG). Jaden Walker and Jordan Lewis provided scoring and rebounding at the wings, combining to average 14.5 PPG and 9.2 RPG. The team does bring in a number of impressive transfers and freshmen, highlighted by Talia Davis and Yasmin Ott. Davis appeared in 61 games over the past two years at North Carolina A&T, while Ott comes from Georgetown where she played four season and last year appeared in 27 games as the Hoyas went 23-12.
UMass Lowell
Roster | Schedule | Statistics
Record: 4-25 Overall, 4-12 AE (8th)
Offense: 51.9 PPG (9th) | Defense: 63.6 PPG (9th)
Returning Starters: 3
Last Game: at Maine (Quarterfinals, America East Tournament), 49-43
Denise King enters her 4th season at the helm of the River Hawks. UMass Lowell returns a solid foundation of three starters coming back. UMass Lowell looks to continue to develop players as they added five freshmen to the 2024-25 roster. The River Hawks were picked seventh in the preseason poll. The River Hawks begin the season on the road at Colgate on November 4. Also in the non-conference, Minnesota on November 12 and Butler on November 24.
Abbey Lindsey returns for the River Hawks after a strong freshman season with 9.0 PPG and 2.8 RPG. Lindsey and Ranye Durant were named to the All-Rookie Team a year ago. Durant netted 6.6 PPG and 4.9 RPG in 29 games played. Sydney Watkins garnered Third Team All-Conference honors last season via 7.7 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 3.0 APG, and a league-best 2.8 SPG. Jennah Johnson looks to make an immediate impact as a freshman for the River Hawks as she averaged 22.0 PPG for Woodbridge High School in New Jersey.
New Hampshire
Roster | Schedule | Statistics
Record: 9-20 Overall, 3-13 AE (9th)
Offense: 54.1 PPG (8th) | Defense: 58.8 PPG (4th)
Returning Starters: 5
Last Game: Binghamton, 65-56
First-year head coach Megan Shoniker looks to put her early stamp on the program after the Wildcats failed to qualify for the #AEPlayoffs each of the past two seasons. She will look to maintain the team’s defensive culture, while also improving an offensive which ranked eighth in the league last year and 5-3 when the team surpassed 60 points in a contest. The team hosts Worcester State to start the season but then is on the road for three straight, facing UMass, Merrimack and Northeastern. The Wildcats will also have to face Boston College on Nov. 20.
This year the team brings back a pair of starters and three of its top six scorers, led by Clara Gomez. She averaged 6.1 PPG and 6.0 RPG to anchor the squad, while Avery O’Connor provided the long-range shooting with a team-high 33 threes and was second on the team with 6.5 PPG. Sophomore Maggie Cavanaugh also returns after putting up 5.7 PPG last season. Shoniker did bring in a number of newcomers who could make a difference, including Sydney Lusher and Eva DeChent. DeChent played for Shoniker at URI and appeared in 23 games as a freshman. Lusher, meanwhile, helped Le Moyne win the NEC regular season title while averaging 9.4 PPG and 3.6 RPG.
NJIT
Roster | Schedule | Statistics
Record: 12-18 Overall, 4-12 AE (7th)
Offense: 57.4 PPG (7th) | Defense: 62.5 PPG (7th)
Returning Starters: 3
Last Game: at Albany (Quarterfinals, America East Tournament), 57-42
Mike Lane enters his 7th season at the helm of NJIT. The Highlanders will look to return to the AE Semifinals for the first time since 2022. NJIT brings back three starters and seven players which played at least 10 minutes per game. The Highlanders were picked to finish eighth in the preseason poll. Meanwhile, NJIT looks to capitalize on home games after going 8-7 last season in Newark. The Highlanders begin the season on the road against Saint Francis on November 4. The month of November also had matchups versus Hofstra (11/8), Rutgers (11/10), and Florida Gulf Coast (11/17).
A bright spot for the Highlanders last season was Second Team All-Conference selection Alejandra Zuniga. The guard led the team with 14.7 PPG and 2.0 APG while shooting 38.0% from bonus distance. Trinity Williams provided an inside presence with 9.0 PPG, 6.4 RPG, and 1.7 BPG in 29 games a season ago. Fifth year Aria Myers will be counted on to contribute as well. The Highlanders added five freshmen to provide some young talent for the 2024-25 season.
Vermont
Roster | Schedule | Statistics
Record: 25-12 Overall, 12-4 AE (3rd)
Offense: 59.4 PPG (5th) | Defense: 52.8 PPG (2nd)
Returning Starters: 3
Last Game: Saint Louis (Semifinals, WNIT), 57-54
Alisa Kresge and the Catamounts seek their fourth straight 20-win season after an impressive 2023-24 campaign. Vermont saw success in the postseason in the WNIT, before falling to Saint Louis in the Fab Four, 57-54. The Catamounts were picked third in the preseason poll and return three starters, while adding seven newcomers (two transfers and five freshmen). Vermont was 16-3 at the historic Patrick Gymnasium last season. Vermont welcomes Missouri on November 4 for a marquee opening night matchup. The Catamounts also take on host Providence on November 12 and visit Princeton on December 21.
Anna Olson returns to Burlington for her final season in a Vermont uniform. The Preseason All-Conference selection averaged 11.6 PPG, 6.1 RPG, and 1.6 APG in 2023-24. Olson shot a league-best 55.9% from the floor last season and is a three-time All-Conference selection. Vermont brings back Keira Hanson, who became the first Catamount to be named Sixth Player of the Year, as well as starter Bella Vito. Catherine Gilwee returns as well after missing last season with an injury and in 2022-23 10.6 PGG while draining 74 threes on 38.5% from downtown. UVM added a number of key pieces including St. Thomas Aquinas transfer Sarah Ericson who averaged 16.0 PPG and 8.2 RPG last year.
The 2024-25 season begins on November 4 with eight teams in action. Conference play starts on January 2 and concludes on March 1. 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.
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Founded in 1979, the America East Conference is an elite NCAA Division I athletic conference that fosters an environment for student-athletes to become champions. Comprised of academically renowned, like-minded member institutions located in the Northeast region of the United States, America East is committed to broad-based excellence and progressive in its approach to supporting its more than 3,500 student-athletes across 18 sponsored sports. For more information, visit www.AmericaEast.com and follow the America East Conference its social media channels, @AmericaEast.
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