Photo Credit: Ben Dickie
America East Releases | 2009-10 Schedule
Video: Season Preview | Media Day | Catamount Tip-Off

HARTFORD, Conn. – The University of Vermont was picked to finish second in the 2009-10 America East Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll, while senior Marqus Blakely (Metuchen, N.J.) was named to the preseason all-conference team. The conference released the poll and all-conference team today at America East Basketball Media Day at the Connecticut State Capitol in Hartford, host city for the 2010 America East Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championship on March 4-7.

Boston University received all eight possible first-place votes (coaches were not allowed to vote for their team) and 64 points to be named the preseason favorite, followed by Vermont, which received the remaining first-place vote and 56 points. Albany barely edged Stony Brook for third place with 43 points, while the Seawolves came in one point behind with 42, just ahead of New Hampshire’s 39. Hartford and UMBC tied for sixth with 28 points apiece, while Maine (14 points) and Binghamton University (12) rounded out the poll.

The 2010 America East Championship first, quarter and semifinal rounds will take place March 4-7 at Hartford’s Chase Arena in the Reich Family Pavilion. The title game will be hosted a week later by the highest remaining seed with the winner earning an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.

Vermont (24-9, 13-3) captured a share of the America East regular-season crown and earned a postseason bid for the fifth time in seven years last season, reaching the second round of the College Basketball Invitational. The Catamounts lost four-time all-conference selection Mike Trimboli, who finished his career 12th on the conference’s all-time scoring list, but welcome back the premier player in the league in Blakely. The two-time America East Player and Defensive Player of the Year, Blakely ranked among league leaders in nearly every category, leading in rebounding (9.0 rpg), blocked shots (2.7 bpg) and steals (2.0 spg) and finishing fifth in scoring (16.1 ppg).

Blakely joined elite company last season, becoming one of just six players to win the Kevin Roberson Player of the Year award multiple times. He was also the first repeat winner of the Defensive Player of the Year award, which has been given out for each of the past seven seasons.

Blakely joined Boston University’s Corey Lowe and John Holland as the only unanimous selections for the preseason all-conference squad. The trio was joined by Albany’s Tim Ambrose, Joe Zeglinski of Hartford and Muhammad El-Amin of Stony Brook. Ambrose and Zeglinski tied for the final spot.

In 14 of the last 16 seasons, UVM has equaled or exceeded the coaches’ preseason choice in either the final standings or by its finish in the conference tournament.

Vermont will host Concordia from Montreal on Sunday at 1 p.m. in the first of two preseason tune-ups. The game will be broadcast on WEAV-960 AM, WXZO-96.7 FM, WCVR-102.1 FM and on the Internet at SportsJuice.com. Live video of the game will also be available on a pay-per-view basis ($7) via B2 Networks.

The Cats will also take on Saint Michael’s on November 7 at 1 p.m. and then open the regular season November 13 at Loyola (Md.). UVM defeated Loyola at home last season, 64-62.

TICKETS
All Vermont men’s and women’s basketball tickets are now on sale for the 2009-10 season. Individual game tickets can be purchased via the Internet by going to www.UVMathletics.com. Click Here for more information on tickets.