BOSTON – The reigning America East Champion Vermont women's basketball team has been selected as the league favorite in the 2023-24 America East Preseason Poll. The Catamounts received seven first-place votes and scored 63 points in the poll. America East also announced its Preseason All-Conference Team, which featured UVM guard
Emma Utterback and forward
Anna Olson.
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Voting was conducted by the league's head coaches, who were not allowed to vote for their own team. Maine was selected second in the poll, receiving the remaining two first-place votes with a score of 58 points, while UAlbany was voted third with a total of 48 points. Binghamton (39 pts) and NJIT (38 pts) rounded out the league's top five.
The Catamounts enter the 2023-24 campaign as preseason favorite for the first time since the 2009-10 season. This will be the first time that Vermont has been selected first in America East preseason poll in six seasons under Mayer Women's Head Basketball Coach
Alisa Kresge.
Olson receives the Preseason All-Conference honor for the third consecutive year. Last season saw Olson lead America East in field goal percentage on her way to averaging 11.4 points, 1.5 assists and 0.9 blocks while leading the team with 6.5 rebounds per game. She was named to the America East First Team.
Utterback earns her second consecutive Preseason All-Conference honor after being named to the America East All-Conference First team a season ago. The Greenwood, Ind. native ranked fifth in the conference in scoring at 14.0 points per game and led America East play with 4.2 assists per game while shooting 40.9%. She was named 2022-23 America East Championship Most Outstanding Player.
2023-24 America East Women's Basketball Preseason Poll
School Points (1st Place)
1. Vermont 63 (7)
2. Maine 58 (2)
3. UAlbany 48
4. Binghamton 39
5. NJIT 38
6. UMBC 32
7. Bryant 18
8. New Hampshire 17
9. UMass Lowell 11
2023-24 America East Women's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team
Player Yr. Pos. School
Denai Bowman Gr. G Binghamton
Kayla Cooper Sr. F UAlbany
Anna Olson Sr. F Vermont
Anne Simon Gr. G Maine
Adrianna Smith Jr. F Maine
Emma Utterback Gr. G Vermont
UVM opens the 2023-24 regular season on Monday, November 6 when it hosts Miami (OH) at 5 p.m. ET. Prior to the start of the regular season, the Catamounts will host an exhibition against crosstown rival Saint Michael's on Nov. 2 at 6 p.m. ET.
Vermont will look to win its second straight America East Title for the second time in program history and first since 2008-09 and 2009-10.
For more news about the Vermont women's basketball program, follow @UVMwbb on Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and Facebook, and visit UVMathletics.com.
Vermont Federal Credit Union is the presenting sponsor of Vermont women's basketball
