Division II
Bowie State
Affiliation: Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Coach: Luke D'Alessio, fourth season at Bowie State (46-38)
2001-02 record: 20-8 (12-4 in CIAA East)
Top players: Tim Washington, 6-8, Sr., F (19.3 ppg, 8.9 rpg); Stephen Moss-Kelley, 6-6, Sr., F (13.8 ppg, 8.0 rpg); Omarr Smith, 5-11, Sr., G (11.3 ppg); Jon Smith, 6-8, Sr., C (transfer from Virginia Tech)
Outlook: Bowie State is coming off the best season in school history and has a legitimate Division II All-America candidate in Washington along with All-CIAA pick Moss-Kelley and talented guard Omarr Smith. But instead of sitting back and resting on the team's laurels, D'Alessio has brought in Division I transfers Jon Smith and Shawn Hampton (a senior from Rutgers) to make this year's Bulldogs stronger up front. Jon Smith, Hampton and Washington could be the ingredients for the school's first CIAA basketball championship.
Division III
Affiliation: Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference
Coach: Webb Hatch, fourth season at Frostburg (42-41)
2001-02 record: 16-12 (9-3 in AMCC)
Top players: Pierre Bowery, 6-6, Sr., G/F (21.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg); Ryan Grabill, 6-0, Jr., G (5.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg); Kamillo Rosenthal, 6-2, So., G (8.1 ppg, 3.4 rpg); A.J. Ernst, 5-11, Sr., G (9.2 ppg, 2.1 rpg)
Outlook: Bowery is one of those rare big men who has the athleticism to be a force inside and outside. He turned in an unforgettable junior season, leading the Bobcats to their second straight AMCC championship game. It's hard to top a 21.1 scoring average, 6.8 rebounds a game, 50 blocks, 37 steals and a single-season school record of 150 free throws. How far Frostburg goes this season will depend on how much help Ernst, Grabill and Rosenthal can give Bowery.
Goucher
Affiliation: Capital Athletic Conference
Coach: Leonard Trevino, 12th season at Goucher (171-141)
2001-02 record: 13-13 (6-8 in CAC)
Top players: Trevor Quinn, 6-7, So., F (9.6 ppg, 6.2 rpg); Thabo Letsebe, 6-6, Sr., F (10.3 ppg, 5.4 rpg); Isaac Brooks, 5-10, Jr., G (12.9 ppg, 2.5 rpg); Lafayette Melton, 6-0, Sr., G (10.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg)
Outlook: Goucher had three outstanding players - Letsebe, Brooks and Melton - coming off the bench in many games last season, and all three of them should ease into the starting lineup full time in 2002-03. That leaves freshmen Jonathan Garrett and Pierre Jones in the position of having to contribute off the bench immediately.
Johns Hopkins
Affiliation: Centennial Conference
Coach: Bill Nelson, 17th season at Hopkins (260-158)
2001-02 record: 15-9 (9-4 in Centennial)
Top players: Steve Adams, 6-6, Sr., F (14.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg); Brendan Kamm, 5-9, Sr., G (8.6 ppg, 2.1 rpg); Jay Kreider, 6-2, Sr., F (7.6 ppg, 3.7 rpg)
Outlook: Nelson has put together something of a Division III dream team. The Jays have good size, experience, decent talent and enough depth to cover 12 spots on the roster before the four freshmen even get on the floor. On paper, Hopkins looks like the real deal in the Centennial Conference.
McDaniel
Affiliation: Centennial Conference
Coach: Jay Dull, second season at McDaniel (6-19)
2001-02 record: 6-19 (2-11 in Centennial)
Top players: Sam Anstead, 6-4, Jr., G (8.5 ppg, 2.75 rpg); Alan Hoyt, 6-5, Jr., F (10.0 ppg, 4.12 rpg)
Outlook: McDaniel's hopes to bounce back hinge on Anstead's recovery from a knee injury that ended his 2001-02 season after three games. The guard brings invaluable experience from the nationally known DeMatha High program.
St. Mary's
Affiliation: Capital Athletic Conference
Coach: Alfred Johnson, fourth season at St. Mary's (36-41)
2001-02 record: 5-21 (2-12 in CAC)
Top players: Jonathan Neely, 6-10, Sr., F (transfer from NAIA Division I Georgetown [Ky.] College); Andre Jackson, 6-5, Sr., G (transfer from North Carolina A&T;); Rob Kearney, 6-2, Sr., F (10.0 ppg, 7.4 rpg)
Outlook: Neely has all the moves, size and basketball savvy to rule the game inside at the Division III level. Jackson also is expected to play a major role.
Salisbury
Affiliation: Capital Athletic Conference
Coach: Steve Holmes, third season at Salisbury (23-27)
2001-02 record: 8-17 (4-10 in CAC)
Top players: Clement Sorgho, 6-4, So., F (12.9 ppg, 6.2 rpg); Haseem Alexander, 6-4, Sr., G (7.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg at Bowie State)
Outlook: Alexander, a point guard, could provide the spark and leadership the Sea Gulls need in the backcourt. He started 17 games for 20-8 Bowie last season but chose to transfer for his senior season. Holmes has also brought in four freshmen: forwards John Wulff and Barry Snowden, and guards Justin Rice and Matt Hunter. Rice is projected as a starter at the second guard position.
Villa Julie
Affiliation: Independent
Coach: Brett Adams, ninth season at Villa Julie (44-153)
2001-02 record: 8-16
Top players: Wade Henninger, 6-6, So., F (11.0 ppg, 6.4 rpg); Mike Kastanakis, 6-3, Jr., F (10.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg); Tim Knapp, 6-0, Sr., G (9.5 ppg, 2.3 rpg)
Outlook: Knapp and Henninger are the headline performers on this youth-oriented team, which should get a major boost from the addition of burly 6-5 freshman forward Anthony Fitzgerald, a Charles Barkley lookalike. Fitzgerald is one of four freshmen expected to be key additions to the Mustangs. The others are 6-8 center Michael Petrecca, 6-4 forward Brian Balcer, and 5-8 guard Zack Moye.
Washington College
Affiliation: Centennial Conference
Coach: Rob Nugent, second season at Washington (10-14)
2001-02 record: 10-14 (5-8 in Centennial)
Top players: Andrew Gentile, 6-0, So., G (5.8 ppg, 1.6 rpg); Colin Camacho, 6-0, So., G (6.0 ppg, 2.5 rpg)
Outlook: This could be a long season for the Shoremen, unless some of the six freshmen - Dustin Abbate, Eric Blumenthal, Rob Engemann, Drew Hill, Travis Moore and Jonathan Webb - produce right away. Washington College lost four of five starters, leaving the cupboard virtually bare.