The only time in the past five seasons that a team other than Albany, Stony Brook or Vermont has claimed either the America East's regular-season or tournament crown was in 2011 when Boston University won the tourney and got an NCAA bid. Stony Book has won two regular-season titles in that span, Vermont also claimed two and Albany went 15-1 in the conference a year ago and also made its third consecutive NCAA tourney appearance.
This season, however, coach Will Brown's Great Danes won't automatically host the quarterfinals and semifinals -- as has been the case the past two years. Now the higher seed will host throughout the league tournament, but don't expect much to change with the top of the league as Stony Brook, Albany and Vermont will once again be expected to battle for supremacy.