The college basketball offseason is here, and we decided to have some fun over the next few months, ranking ALL 364 teams in D1. Number 185 is Vermont basketball.
Before you say we’re crazy – or that all of this is up for debate, let’s go over the very intricate process of how we came to this conclusion. We took a very statistical approach – with the help of Chat GPT – taking into consideration everything from March Madness wins and finishes, to AP Poll appearances, to conference players of the year. And then, a good friend of ours, Scott Blanchard, took our approach to the MAX.
Click here to visit the FIRST article, which explains how the formula works!
Here’s the breakdown of Vermont basketball!
NCAA Tournament Success
- Championships: 0
- Finals appearances: 0
- Final Fours: 0
- Elite Eights: 0
- Sweet 16s: 0
- NCAA wins: 2
- Bids: 10
Consistency Over Time
- Wins per season: 14.6
- Bids per season: 0.12
- AP Polls: 0
Player Quality & Talent
- All-Americans: 0
- NBA players drafted & played: 0
- Conference Players of the Year: 16
Conference & Other Success
- Conference regular season titles: 15
- Conference tournament titles: 10
- NIT titles: 0
- Other tournament titles: 0
Overall scoop on Vermont basketball
Few mid-major programs have dominated a conference like Vermont basketball has. The Catamounts have become a dynasty in the America East, winning regular season and conference tournament titles nearly every year. Since joining in 1996-97, here’s the breakdown:
- 2001-02: Regular season title
- 2002-03: Conference tournament title
- 2003-04: Conference tournament title
- 2004-05: Regular season title and conference tournament title
- 2006-07: Regular season title
- 2008-09: Regular season title
- 2009-10: Conference tournament title
- 2010-11: Regular season title
- 2011-12: Conference tournament title
- 2013-14: Regular season title
- 2016-17: Regular season title and conference tournament title
- 2017-18: Regular season title
- 2018-19: Regular season title and conference tournament title
- 2019-20: Regular season title
- 2020-21: Regular season title
- 2021-22: Regular season title and conference tournament title
- 2022-23: Regular season title and conference tournament title
- 2023-24: Regular season title and conference tournament title
Most of that has come under John Becker, who, since 2011-12, has led the Catamounts to nine regular season crowns and six automatic bids to March Madness. But it is the mark of a dynasty to have that many trophies in a 25-year span. In fact, just seven seasons in that span did Vermont not win a regular season or conference tournament title.
Of course, John Becker has upped the ante in his own right. He’s a seven-time America East Coach of the Year and has a 351-144 record with the Catamounts. They’ve only won one NCAA Tournament game in that span, which was a play-in win over Lamar in 2012. But they’ve continued to be the dominant force in the conference and in mid-major New England.
Of course, other coaches have contributed to this success.
Before Becker was Mike Lonergan, who went 126-68 from 2005-11. He led the Catamounts to one tourney and three A-East regular season titles in six seasons.
Tom Brennan had the job from 1987 to 2005, going 264-276. However, it was how he ended his tenure, with four straight 20-win seasons and three straight trips to the NCAA Tournament. And in 2005, Vermont picked up an upset for the ages, knocking off 4-seed Syracuse in the round of 64. Star guard TJ Sorrentine hit the dagger “from the parking lot.”
Sorrentine’s moment is certainly the top one in Vermont basketball history. But the list of legendary players goes on and on. While the Catamounts have never had a player drafted and then play in the NBA, they’ve had 16 former America East Players of the Year:
- Matt Johnson: 1991
- Kevin Roberson: 1992
- TJ Sorrentine: 2002
- Taylor Coppenrath: 2003, 2004, and 2005
- Marqus Blakely: 2008 and 2009
- Trae Bell-Haynes: 2017 and 2018
- Anthony Lamb: 2019 and 2020
- Ryan Davis: 2021 and 2022
- Finn Sullivan: 2023
- TJ Hurley: 2026
Whether it be coaches that create a winning culture or the endless cycle of outstanding players, Vermont has built a dynasty and shows no signs of slowing down.