Alasdair Fraser Selected to America East Preseason Team; Men Picked Fifth

ORONO, Maine – University of Maine men's basketball standout Alasdair Fraser has been named to the six-member Preseason All-America East Team while the Black Bears have been selected to finish fifth in the preseason coaches' poll as announced at America East Media Day hosted by the University at Albany, host of the 2013 America East Men's and Women's Basketball Tournaments.

Fraser, a junior forward from Falkirk, Scotland, was a Third Team All-America East selection a year ago as he ranked 12th in scoring (12.9 ppg), fourth in rebounding (7.8 rpg), third in blocked shots (1.4 bpg) and third in field goal percentage (.543) in the conference.

Defending Champion Vermont was selected as the preseason favorite with five first place votes and 60 points overall. Stony Brook, the defending America East Regular Season Champion, was selected second with the other four first place votes and 58 points. Boston University was selected third with 49 points followed by Albany with 38 and Maine with 35. New Hampshire was picked sixth with 34 points followed by Hartford with 26 points, UMBC with 15 points and Binghamton in ninth with nine points.

Maine returns three starters and seven letterwinners from last season's squad, including Justin Edwards (Whitby, Ontario), the 2012 CollegeHoops.net America East Rookie of the Year and College Sports Madness All-America East Preseason First Team selection, and Mike Allison (Lynden, Ontario), a 2012 America East All-Defensive honoree and Second Team CSM Preseason honoree.

The Black Bears open their exhibition season on Saturday against Laval at 12 p.m.