Vermont has won the America East in eight consecutive seasons. Recent contenders UMass Lowell and Bryant again quest to topple the league favorite.
The America East is Vermont’s league until proven otherwise. The Catamounts have won eight consecutive regular-season titles and appear poised to do so again in 2024-25. Not only did John Becker’s team finish 15-1 against AEC foes last season, but they now bring back seven players who averaged at least 15 minutes. UNH’s Clarence Daniels halted Vermont’s run of eight consecutive Player of the Year awards, but he has now departed and Shamir Bogues might put UVM back on top.
Bryant and UMass Lowell both bring back all-league caliber players in Earl Timberlake and Max Brooks to contend with Vermont’s star. The Bulldogs and River Hawks tied for second place in the regular-season AEC standings, though UML swept all three matchups against Bryant. As for taking the next step and competing for the league title, these two must improve on a combined 0-5 record against Vermont.
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Elsewhere in the league, Maine hopes to maintain its upward trajectory with Chris Markwood again coaching his solid backcourt of Jaden Clayton and Kellen Tynes. Meanwhile, Albany brings back a star in Amar’e Marshall, and NJIT’s sophomore class hopes to build into something special.
Projected Order of Finish
1. Vermont Catamounts
As winners of eight consecutive regular-season titles and five of the last six conference tournaments, Vermont has claimed the America East as its own. Put simply, the Catamounts should be penciled in as the league favorite every preseason until someone knocks them off. Head coach John Becker is not only back on the sidelines but he also returns seven players who all averaged at least 15 minutes on his 28-7 (15-1 AEC) team last year:
Vermont is consistently dominant and the Catamounts return the most talent in the league. The superb two-way contributions of Shamir Bogues (11.3 ppg, 1.9 spg) make him the favorite to bring home Vermont’s eighth AEC Player of the Year in the last nine years.
With regular-season success already the norm for Vermont, the next step is winning NCAA Tournament games. The Catamounts have lost their first-round matchup in seven straight tries, largely due to drop-offs in two program staples: 2-point percentage and defensive rebounding rate.
Nevertheless, this group has already shown its mettle as an America East winner. With so much returning from an NCAA Tournament team, the league’s automatic bid is Vermont’s to lose in 2025.
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