CAMBRIDGE, Mass.—The America East Conference will officially kick off the 2009-10 season on Wednesday, Oct. 28, with its Basketball Season Tip-Off Luncheon at the Connecticut State Capitol building in Hartford, Conn. Fans can view live interviews with all of the league’s head coaches at AmericaEast.tv. UMBC women’s head coach Phil Stern will be interviewed at 11:15 a.m., while men’s coach Randy Monroe will appear at 1:35.

Fran Fraschilla, current ESPN analyst and former head coach at Manhattan, St. John’s and New Mexico, will serve as emcee for the luncheon, which will begin at 12 p.m. In addition to unveiling the America East preseason polls and preseason all-conference teams, men’s and women’s head coaches from the league’s member institutions and conference commissioner Patrick Nero will be present. Commissioner Nero, along with select others, will speak briefly about the upcoming season. Following the program, coaches will be available for questions.

Fans can visit AmericaEast.com on Oct. 28 to find the coaches’ preseason selections and view the live interviews conducted by Eric Frede, who returns for another season as the voice of America East basketball. Interviews with the women’s coaches begin at 11 a.m., while the men’s coaches will start at 1:30 p.m.

UMBC’s women’s team opens its season on Friday, Nov. 13, at RAC Arena against national power Virginia. The Retriever men host cross-town rival Morgan State on Sunday, Nov. 15 in their season opener.