The America East is kicking off its countdown to the
Basketball Tip-Off Event by previewing each of the 18 teams. Today, we preview
both the men’s and women’s basketball teams from the University of Vermont.
Vermont Catamounts Men's Basketball Preview: (Click Here for Full Preview)
Over the course of his tenure at the University of Vermont,
men's basketball coach Mike Lonergan has turned the program into one of the
most consistent in the America East. The 2009-10 campaign proved to be one of
the finest in school history, as Lonergan led the Catamounts to a 25-10 (12-4
America East) record, and a spot in the NCAA Tournament. The 25 wins matched the
single-season record, while the postseason appearance was the third in five
seasons for this program.
Vermont Catamounts Women's Basketball Preview: (Click Here for Full Preview)
After a tremendous 2009-10 season, which saw Vermont go 27-7
(13-3 America East), win the America East Conference championship and advance
in the NCAA Tournament to the Round of 32, the program finds itself in
transition. Following the first NCAA Tournament win in program history, women's
basketball coach Sharon Dawley left to become the head coach at the University
of Massachusetts. The Catamounts also lost two of the best players in school history,
as Courtnay Pilypaitis and May Kotsopoulos, both of who were America East
All-Conference First Team selections, were lost to graduation.