Catamount Sports: Championing Excellence

For the UVM men’s and women’s basketball teams, the 2023-24 season cemented another chapter in the annals of UVM basketball history, as both teams showcased their prowess on the court with memorable postseason runs.

Men’s Basketball: Rising to New Heights

This season marked a milestone for the Catamounts, as they made their third consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament, a feat not achieved since 2005. Their journey as a 13-seed, for the fourth time in the last five trips to the Big Dance, underlines the Catamounts’ consistency and competitiveness on the national stage.

In a thrilling conference championship showdown at a sold-out Patrick Gym, Vermont secured its 11th America East Championship title in a 66-61 win. Shamir Bogues emerged as the Reggie Lewis

Most Outstanding Player, with TJ Long and Ileri Ayo-Faleye receiving All-Championship honors, further highlighting the team’s depth and talent.

Prior to Vermont’s March Madness Matchup with Duke, UVM had recorded the fourthhighest winning percentage (.780) in the country over the last eight seasons. The Catamounts trailed only Gonzaga (.889), Houston (.822), and Kansas (.789). Vermont’s 28 wins are tied for the second-highest single-season total in program history with the 2021-22 team.

Under the expert guidance of Cioffi Men’s Basketball Head Coach John Becker, the

Catamounts have solidified their position as a powerhouse in college basketball. Becker’s leadership earned him the prestigious NABC All-District Coach of the Year award for the fifth time in his illustrious career. Moreover, his nomination as a finalist for the Hugh Durham National Coach of the Year award reaffirms his status as one of the top mid-major coaches in the country.

“Just a special group of guys and people that achieved so much this year,” said Becker. “I’m not going to let anyone in this program be comfortable with what we did, or have done, you know. We want to do the next thing. So I’m going to continue to dream big here.”

Throughout the 2023-24 men’s basketball season, fans were showered with electrifying moments, including Long’s buzzer-beater three against Yale to complete the Catamounts’ late comeback victory and Ayo-Faleye’s thunderous poster dunk in the America East Championship game. These moments captivated audiences across the entire nation, earning UVM recognition on ESPN SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays on two separate occasions this season.

As the 2024-25 season looms, the Catamounts are eyeing their fourth consecutive America East Championship, a feat unprecedented in program history.

Women’s Basketball: Breaking Barriers

The Vermont women’s basketball team ventured into a groundbreaking journey, rewriting the narrative of success in the America East conference, making league history as the first America East team in men’s or women’s basketball to play a game in April.

Despite falling in the America East championship game, narrowly missing the 2024 NCAA Tournament, Vermont women’s basketball showcased a remarkable display of tenacity as the Catamounts blazed a trail in the 2024 WNIT, notching three postseason victories, the most by any America East program in a single season. Their historic run saw them advance to the WNIT Fab 4 for the first time in program history.

Delaney Richason and Emma Utterback etched their names as the all-time leaders in games played for UVM (136) while never missing a single game in their five seasons representing the green and gold.

Under the astute leadership of Mayer Women’s Basketball Coach Alisa Kresge, the Catamounts cultivated a culture of prioritizing defense, ranking second nationally in points-per-game. Following UVM’s first-ever WNIT Great 8 victory in program history at Purdue, Kresge spoke on “buying in” and what helped the Catamounts achieve a true road win against a Big 10 opponent: “Our group stays true to who they are, they work hard, they believe in each other, and they buy into our system,” she said.

Utterback was named to the America East First Team for the third consecutive season while Anna Olson garnered America East Second Team, All-Academic Team, and All-Defensive Team recognition. Keira Hanson earned America East Third Team and was named the Sixth Player of the Year.

UVM improved to 61-24 at Patrick Gym under Kresge while maintaining a 16-3 record at home. The 16 home wins set another program record. It was an unforgettable campaign.

Photos by Alex Weiss and Dave Wegiel