Stony Brook Chosen Men's #AEHoops Favorite, Preseason All-League

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BOSTON – For the first time since the 2015-16, Stony Brook is the America East men’s basketball preseason favorite as the conference’s preseason poll and preseason All-conference teams were announced on Thursday morning. Six standouts were named to the preseason All-Conference, led by the Seawolves’ Elijah Olaniyi and reigning Player of the Year Ryan Davis from Vermont.

The Seawolves received five of a possible nine first-place votes for a total of 77 points followed by Vermont, which set a conference record by winning a share of the conference title for the fifth-straight season last year, is second with 74 points. New Hampshire earned the final first-place tally and placed third for the second-straight year with 64 points. Reigning champion Hartford rounded out the top four with 56 points. Full poll:

Olaniyi, a two-time All-America East selection returns to Stony Brook after playing last season at Miami, and Davis are joined on the preseason All-Conference team by fellow 2020-21 first-teamer Jayden Martinez (New Hampshire) and second-teamers Nick Guadarrama (New Hampshire) and Ben Shungu (Vermont). Third-team selection and the Most Outstanding Player of the 2021 #AEPlayoffs, Hartford’s Austin Williams rounds out the team.

The 2021-22 season begins on November 9 with conference play starting on January 2. Conference positioning will again prove key for the #AEPlayoffs. After not playing in front of fans last year, every round of the #AEPlayoffs will take place on the higher seed’s home court, and earning home-court advantage will prove crucial once again.

The league champion will earn an automatic berth into the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship, where America East teams have won nine games all-time, including UMBC’s historic upset of Virginia in 2018.

Fans will once again be able to watch every #AEHoops home game on The AE on ESPN. The majority of games will air on ESPN+ or ESPN3 while one of the five conference matchups on Jan. 6 will be nationally televised on ESPNU.

Follow the @AEHoopsNews Twitter account to stay up-to-date on #AEHoops news all season long.

2021-22 America East Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll

No. School Points (1^st Place Votes)

1. Stony Brook 77 (5)

2. Vermont 74 (4)

3. New Hampshire 64 (1)

4. Hartford 56

5. UMBC 49

6. UMass Lowell 43

7. UAlbany 34

8. NJIT 23

9. Maine 16

10. Binghamton 14

2021-22 America East Men’s Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team

Ryan Davis, Sr., Forward, Vermont

Nick Guadarrama, Sr., Forward, New Hampshire

Jayden Martinez, Sr., Forward, New Hampshire

Elijah Olaniyi, Gr., Guard, Stony Brook

Ben Shungu, Gr., Guard, Vermont

Austin Williams, Gr., Guard, Hartford

About America East: The America East provides its member schools and their athletic programs a platform upon which student-athletes can achieve both collegiate and life success through the promotion and nurturing of athletic excellence, academic achievement, and leadership, on and off the field.

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