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News Release

Hodges Named to America East Pre-Season All Conference Team; Retrievers Picked Fifth in Pre-Season Poll

11/6/2007

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.-- Senior Brian Hodges (Upper Marlboro, Md./Bishop McNamara) of UMBC and junior Mike Trimboli of Vermont were unanimous selections to the 2007-08 America East Preseason All-Conference team in voting conducted by the conference’s head coaches, who were not allowed to vote for their own players. That duo is joined by seniors Brent Wilson of Albany and Mike Gordon of Binghamton, and sophomore Tyler Morris of Boston University.

In other news, UMBC was selected to finish fifth in the coaches’ pre-season poll. The Retriever tied for fourth (7-9) place in the 2006-07 season and advanced to the league semifinals.

Hodges is the active scoring leader in America East with 1,080 points. He was the nation’s highest-scoring sixth man in 2006-07, averaging 14.7 ppg, including 15.7 ppg in conference contests, while earning second-team all-conference honors. The six-foot-three guard led the team in scoring in 15 games last season, including a season-high 36 points in a win at Morgan State. It was the top offensive output by an America East player in 2006-07.

Hodges is the first Retriever to earn a pre-season men’s basketball All-Conference honor in UMBC’s five years in the America East Conference.

Boston University, winner of a conference-best five America East Championships, is the preseason choice of the coaches to win the league title in 2007-08. The Terriers received five of a possible eight first-place votes (coaches were not allowed to vote for their team) and 61 points to outdistance back-to-back champion Albany, which had four first-place votes and 55 points. Vermont, which earned the America East regular-season title last year en route to its first NIT berth, was chosen third with 50 points. Binghamton, with rookie head coach Kevin Broadus, was picked fourth with 45 points. UMBC (33 points) edged Hartford (31) for fifth place. Stony Brook (19) was seventh while Maine and New Hampshire tied for eighth place with 15 points.

The America East Conference Media Day is being held “live” via video streaming beginning today, Tuesday, Nov. 6.  Coaches’ interviews, pre-season polls, and much more is available at www.americaeast.com.

UMBC kicks off the season on Saturday, Nov. 10 when they entertain Saint Peter’s at 8:00 p.m.