Photo Credit: Brian Jenkins
2009-10 Schedule | Video: Season Preview | Media Day | Catamount Tip-Off

HARTFORD, Conn. – For the second straight year, the University of Vermont women's basketball team has been selected as the preseason choice of the league's coaches to win the America East Women's Basketball title in 2009-10. The Catamounts, the defending America East Champions, received five of a possible eight first-place votes (coaches were not allowed to vote for their team) and 61 points overall.

Hartford was second, receiving four first-place votes, and 60 points. Binghamton was third with 45 points, followed by New Hampshire (38), Boston University (38), UMBC (35), Stony Brook (23), Maine (13) and Albany (11).

America East announced the preseason polls and all-conference teams at the 2009 America East Basketball Tip-Off Event at the Connecticut State Capitol in Hartford, host city of the 2010 America East Men's and Women's Basketball Championship presented by Newman's Own.

"It's flattering to earn the top spot in the preseason poll and to be thought of this way by the other coaches in the league," said Vermont head coach Sharon Dawley. "It was a thrill to win the championship last season, but it is time to put last year behind us. This is a new year and a new team. We will work hard and use the experience we gained to help us get the same result in 2009-10."

"America East is very competitive and there is a lot of work to be done between now and where we want to be in March. We are looking forward to our preseason game on Saturday (1 p.m. vs. Laval) and to getting the regular season underway."

Vermont (21-12 overall, 12-4 America East in 2008-09) returns 60 percent of its scoring and 57 percent of the minutes played last season, despite losing seven letterwinners from the 2008-09 squad. Among those returning to the mix are seniors Courtnay Pilypaitis (Ottawa, Ontario) and May Kotsopoulos (Waterloo, Ontario). Both guards were named to the America East Preseason All-Conference Team. Pilypaitis was a unanimous choice for the squad for the third year in a row, while Kotsopoulos earned a preseason nod for the first time in her career.

Pilypaitis and Kotsopoulos combined to average 29.2 points per game last season and both were named to the America East All-Championship team after leading UVM to upset victories over No. 2-seeded Hartford and top-seeded Boston University. The Catamounts won their fifth title in the program's history and advanced to the NCAA Tournament where they faced eventual national champion Connecticut.

Pilypaitis, who already had the 2007 America East Rookie of the Year and 2008 Player of the Year awards on her resume, picked up the tournament's Most Outstanding Player honor at last year's championship. She averaged 20 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists and posted back-to-back double-doubles in the semifinal and title games. Pilypaitis scored 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds versus the Hawks and followed that with 22 points and 11 rebounds in the championship game.

Pilypaitis enters her senior campaign ranked sixth among the all-time leading scorers at UVM and is on pace to become Vermont's all-time leader in both three-point field goals and assists. Last season she ranked among the league leaders in nine of 10 statistical categories for the second straight season.

Kotsopoulos, the 2008 Defensive Player of the Year and two-time America East Women's Basketball Scholar-Athlete, reached the 1,000-point plateau last season and finished the year averaging 14 points per game, good for second on the team. During the America East Tournament, Kotsopoulos averaged 17.3 points and shot 55.6 percent from three-point range. She scored a tournament-high 21 points in the victory over Boston University in the championship game. She enters her senior season ranked among UVM's all-time top-20 in seven different statistical categories.

The Catamounts will host Laval in a preseason game on Saturday (Oct. 31) at 1 p.m. The game will be broadcast on WVMT-620 AM 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.

Vermont opens the 2009-10 regular season versus Western Michigan on November 13 at 6 p.m. in the first round of the Sheraton Wolfpack Classic hosted by North Carolina State. UVM will take on either Florida International or NC State on November 14 in the championship or consolation game. Both games from Raleigh will also be broadcast on WVMT-620 AM and on the Internet at SportsJuice.com.

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.

NOTES: The 2009-10 season marks the eighth time the Catamounts have been voted first in the preseason poll.