MEN’SBASKETBALL

BOSTON – For the second- consecutive year, the University at Albany men’s basketball team has been picked to finish fourth in the America East this season, the conference office announced Thursday.

Additionally, sophomore guard Cameron Healy was selected to the America East Preseason All- Conference Team. Healy is the Great Danes’ first Preseason AllConference selection since guards Joe Cremo andDavid Nichols ahead of the 2017-18 season.

UAlbany received 47 total points to land in fourth place in the preseason poll. Vermont was selected as the unanimous favorite, earning 67 total points and all seven possible first-place votes. It is the fourth-straight year the Catamounts have topped the preseason poll. UMBC, the 2018-19 runner-up, was second with 53 points and the remaining first-place vote. Stony Brook was third, just ahead of UAlbany with 48 points.

“I don’t get caught up in preseason polls,” said head coach Will Brown. “It is all a guessing game. That is probably where we should be picked based off of last season. I am confident that all of our players have improved and that we have some new players that will help. We have a lot of work to do in order to get to the level we would like to be at. We just need to stay healthy and control the controllables.”

Behind the Great Danes, UMass Lowell slotted into fifth with 38 points, followed by Binghamton and Hartford in a tie for sixth with 23 points each. Maine, with 15 points, and New Hampshire, with 13 points, completed the poll.

Vermont, the reigning league champion, received all eight possible first place votes and topped the poll with 64 points while UMBC, runners up to the Catamounts last year, earned the final first-place tally and 53 points.

The Catamount roster includes sophomore forward Isaiah Powell (Albany/Colonie H.S.)