VESTAL, N.Y. – After enduring an injury-riddled season last winter, Binghamton men's basketball now is in an envious position, according to the America East coaching group. The Bearcats received a first-place vote and were slotted third in the Coaches' Preseason Poll, just one point out of second.
In addition, two Bearcats made the Preseason All-Conference Team with seniors
Jeremiah Quigley and
Demetrius Lilley earning recognition. Quigley is coming off an exceptional season that resulted in all-conference honors, while Lilley returns after his promising season was cut short in December with an injury. Lilley is the only America East player who repeats as a preseason all-conference selection in 2026-27.
It's the first time Binghamton men's basketball has received a first-place vote and the third-place prediction is the highest in the school's 26-year membership in the America East. It's also the first time Binghamton has put two players on the preseason all-conference list.
Vermont was positioned first with 62 points, followed by defending champion UMBC (46) and Binghamton (45). The middle four teams were closely positioned with NJIT in fourth (38), followed by Bryant (36), UAlbany (34) and UMass Lowell (31). Maine (19) and New Hampshire (13) rounded out the nine-team poll.
"It's nice to be placed higher than ever before," head coach
Levell Sanders said. "But we still have to play. I think we will have a good squad and now it's time to go out and prove it."
The conference was gutted in the offseason, with 13 of the 15 all-conference players leaving the league via graduation or transfer. The lone returning all-conference players are Quigley and Vermont forward Gus Yalden.
Binghamton opens its season Nov. 2 at Northwestern. The 16-game America East slate begins Jan. 2 at home vs. Vermont.
NOTES
Binghamton is the lone America East team that will have two all-conference starters on the floor (40% of lineup) … The program's previous best placement in the preseason poll was fourth, which occurred five times, most recently in 2023-24.
