1. Vermont (21-13, 13-3 AE) 

Despite finishing second in the America East in the regular season, Vermont captured the AE title, advancing to March Madness for the second time in three years. This performance, along with the fourth-best scoring defense in the nation at 52.9 points allowed per game, earned them first place in the preseason poll with 63 points and seven of eight possible first-place votes.

Notable losses for the team this season include forward Anna Olson, who made an AE all-conference team in her final three years with the team and averaged 12.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game last season. Along with Olson, guard Bella Vito also exhausted her eligibility after being named the AE Defensive Player of the Year as a member of the Catamounts last year.

The Catamounts return several key seniors, including guard Keira Hanson, redshirt guard Catherine Gilwee and center Nikola Priede. Gilwee, who averaged 8.1 points and 3.8 assists per game before being named to the AE second-team all-conference, was named to the 2025-26 AE preseason all-conference team. Priede was also named to the preseason all-conference team and the 2024-25 AE second-team all-conference, and she picked up the Most Outstanding Player of the 2025 Conference Championship award.

Notable incoming transfers for Vermont include redshirt senior guard Jadyn Weltz, who was named to the AE all-conference third team last year. Head coach Alisa Kresge, who is headed into her eighth year with the team, will look to leverage her returners alongside a talented transfer class as the Catamounts attempt to win their third AE title in four years.

2. Maine (15-16, 9-7 AE)

Although they finished fourth in the conference last season, Maine jumped ahead to second in the rankings with 55 points and two first-place votes, the only other team to possess any after Vermont. One of the most notable players that the Black Bears lost heading into the 2025-26 season is guard/forward Caroline Bornemann, who started all 34 games for the team last season while averaging 7.3 points per game.

However, returning is redshirt senior forward Adrianna Smith, who missed all of last season with an injury. Smith won AE Player of the Year in the 2022-23 season and was a two-time AE first-team all-conference pick in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons. With her return to the court, the Black Bears are expecting a return-to-form season, after finishing with a losing overall record for the first time in 12 years.

3. Bryant (17-15, 9-7 AE)

Bryant finished third in the regular season last year, before being eliminated in the AE semifinals by Vermont. Earning third place in the preseason polls with 46 points, Bryant is expecting another solid season under head coach Lynn-Ann Kokoski, who is entering her third year with the program. The departures for the program are headlined by senior guard Breezie Williams, who started 25 games for Bryant last year, averaging 9.6 points per game and 3.2 rebounds, and has since transferred to Wright State University.

As for returning players, perhaps the most notable of the bunch is sophomore guard Olivia Fernandez, who played in all 32 games for the Bulldogs last year and was named to the AE all-rookie team. Along with Fernandez, the program will also see the return of junior guard Mia Mancini, who made the AE all-conference second-team last year after averaging 10.9 points and 3.2 rebounds per game, before being named to this year’s AE preseason all-conference squad. Bryant hopes to continue their steady improvement record-wise since Kokoski took over the program.

4. UAlbany (26-7, 14-2 AE) 

UAlbany finished with the best overall record and a dominant 14-2 AE record among the AE’s teams last season, but a loss to Vermont in the AE Championship saw them surrender their spot in last season’s March Madness tournament. Despite the promising finish, Albany fell to fourth in the preseason rankings with 42 points and no first-place votes.

Albany will have to manage the departure of three key players this offseason, including forward Kayla Cooper, who was named the AE Player of the Year last year and earned an AE first-team all-conference nod after averaging 17.4 points per game, landing her in the top 75 in the nation. Along with Cooper, the team also lost guards Jessica Tomasetti and Kaci Donovan, who earned second-team and third-team all-conference nods, respectively.

However, among Albany’s returners are sophomore guards Martina Borrellas and Delanie Hill, both named to last year’s all-rookie team. With the return of their promising young talent and the continued tenure of head coach Colleen Mullen, who enters her eighth season with the Great Danes, their season still looks fairly promising, despite big losses for the offense.

5. NJIT (11-19, 8-8 AE) 

Selected to finish fifth in preseason polls this year, with 37 points, is NJIT. Despite entering conference play with a 10-3 losing record last season, the Highlanders rebounded significantly with an 8-8 run once AE play began, securing the No. 5 seed before an early exit in the AE quarterfinals.

Among those returning for the team is senior guard Alejandra Zuniga, who was named to the AE all-conference first team last season after averaging 16 points per game and 2.7 rebounds for the Highlanders before her appearance on the AE preseason all-conference team this season. Along with Zuniga returns sophomore guard Olivia Kulyk, who was named to the all-rookie team and the all-conference third team last season after averaging 9.7 points per game and 4.6 rebounds.

However, the Highlanders lost forward Trinity Williams, who was named to the AE all-defensive team last season after leading the conference with 1.6 blocks per game. Without Williams, an already struggling Highlanders defense that gave up the most points in the conference last year will need SVSU transfer sophomore forward Ava Locklear to fill her shoes after a promising rookie season.

6. Binghamton (15-15, 7-9 AE) 

7. New Hampshire (10-20, 4-12 AE)

Despite starting with a somewhat promising 6-7 record in nonconference play last season, New Hampshire fell behind 12-4 in AE play, barely making the playoffs as the No. 8 seed. Their struggles in AE play last year have tempered expectations for the Wildcats, and as a result, they were picked to finish seventh, picking up 24 points.

Returning for the team is AE preseason all-conference selection junior guard Eva DeChent, who finished first in the conference with 17.8 points per game after starting all 30 games for the team. She also finished first on the team in steals, averaging 1.8 per game, which earned her an AE first-team all-conference nod and the AE Newcomer of the Year award. Despite her offensive output, New Hampshire finished second-to-last in the AE in terms of scoring offense last season, averaging just 53 points per game.

Headlining the four transfer additions the Wildcats made this offseason are senior guards Sophia Sabino and Camryn Fauria, who appeared in all 30 of their games last season for Bucknell and Binghamton, respectively. With the return of DeChent and the addition of seven new players, second-year head coach Megan Shoniker is looking to improve one of the worst offenses in the AE as she heads into the 2025-26 season.

8. UMBC (14-15, 7-9 AE) 

Selected to finish eighth in the preseason poll and narrowly trailing UNH with 23 points are the UMBC Retrievers. Heading into her second season at the helm of the program, head coach Candice Hill will lack several key front-court returners, including guard/forward Jordon Lewis, last year’s leading scorer and 2024-25 AE second-team all-conference honoree, and the Retrievers’ second-leading scorer, forward Jaden Walker, who averaged 9.9 points and six rebounds per game last year.

Hill will look to transfers like sophomore guard Dagny Slomack, who averaged nine points per game and 37.4 percent shooting from beyond the arc, and senior center Delaney Yarborough for significant production this season. Notable returners include junior forward Jade Tillman, who totaled 28 points and 57 rebounds in 26 appearances last season, and senior guard Carmen Yánez, who averaged 4.5 points and 1.9 rebounds per game in 28 starts last season. If Hill and the Retrievers hope to improve their record once more this season, significant growth from returners and transfers alike will be essential.

9. UMass Lowell (3-25, 1-15 AE) 

Rounding out the preseason poll in the ninth and last slot are the UMass Lowell Riverhawks with a unanimous last-place selection and just eight points. The Riverhawks struggled significantly last season, securing just two wins in nonconference play before picking up an AE-worst 1-15 record in the conference slate.

UMass Lowell will lack its three leading scorers from last year as it begins its 2025-26 campaign, following the transfers of junior guard Abbey Lindsey, who led the team in scoring with 11 points per game, and junior forward Rayne Durant, who averaged 9.5 points and five rebounds per game. If the Riverhawks hope to compete for a slot in the AE playoffs this season, they will require significant jumps in production from junior guard Maddie Rice, who leads all returners after averaging 6.8 points per game last season, and transfer graduate student forward Anabel Latorre Ciria.