With D2 college basketball season around the corner, NE10 NOW has you covered preparing for hoops.
NE10 NOW: The Podcast host Joel Godett sat down with the head coach for each of the top three men's and women's teams in the conference preseason polls.
Each conversation will be released every other day at noon until we reach tip-off on November 10th.
MEN'S PREVIEWS
No. 3: Southern Connecticut State (Available Nov. 1)
Scott Burrell's squad has some critical new faces in 2023-24, leading to some loftier expectations. The Owls have improved last season to an 18-12 (11-9) record and look to make another jump.
No. 2: Saint Anselm (Available Nov. 5)
A first team all-conference performer in 2023, Tyler Arbuckle returns for his fifth season of college basketball while hoping to guide the Hawks to a second straight NE10 tournament championship. The Hawks had home-cout advatnage throughout the tournament, beating Pace, Bentley and New Haven en route to a title and the NCAA's.
No. 1: Bentley (Available Nov. 9)
Is Bentley the No. 1 team in the NE10? That's still to be determined, but the Falcons do return the top dog from a year ago. The 2023 NE10 Player of the Year, Zach Laput is joung by Aaron Latham as returning key cogs from an NCAA Tournament team.
Other Potent Notables:
- Southern New Hampshire won the NE10's 2023 regular season at 16-4. The Penmen return four of eight players that started a game last season, including all-conference first-teamer Matt Becht.
- New Haven finished runners-up at the 2023 NE10 tournament and is picked fifth preseason. The Chargers will look to fill the void of All-Conference standout Quashawn Lane.
- Pace, which went 11-9 last year to finish fifth, is picked sixth this year with a returning Bryan Powell. An NE10 first-teamer in 2022, Powell was third in the conference in scoring last year.
WOMEN'S PREVIEWS
No. 3: Southern New Hampshire (Available Oct. 30)
Southern New Hampshire has the single best returning player in the NE10 this fall in 2023 NE10 Player of the Year Adrianna Timberlake. The Penmen went 22-8 last season before falling in the NE10 final and advancing to the NCAA Tournament.
No. 2: Bentley (Available Nov. 3)
The NE10 women's basketball tournament champion in 2023, Bentley returns Maggie Whitmore and Ella Thompson among a group that took a foreign tour to Greece this summer.
No. 1: Assumption (Available Nov. 7)
The defending NE10 champions, Assumption had an historic season in 2022-23 as NCAA regional champions. The Greyhounds run came to a close during their first appearance at the Elite Eight.
Other Potent Notables:
- Southern Connecticut State and Pace were picked fourth and fifth preseason after advancing to the quarters and semis of the NE10 Tournament respectively last season.
- New Haven finished fifth last season, the highest rated team not previewed above. The Chargers return Aurora Deshaies, the NE10's leader in field goal percentage last season.
- AIC's Kayla Robinson returns as a member of last year's All-Defensive team. Robinson was also offensive, scoring 14ppg last year.
- While Saint Anselm did lose Gabby Turco, the Hawks return the leagues No. 1 three-point shooter from a year ago in Alexa Quirolo.
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 12 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.
Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
