For the third time in as many years, the Aggies are in a new conference. North Carolina A&T played one year in the Big South after leaving the MEAC before jumping to the Colonial this year. A&T will do it with interim coach Phillip Shumpert leading the way after Willie Jones was abruptly dismissed in mid-August.
2021-22 record: 12-20 (6-10 Colonial)
Top players: Redshirt junior Marcus Watson was named an honorable mention preseason All-CAA player, and the forward led the Aggies with 12.6 points and six rebounds last year. Guard Demetric Horton, the only other player to average double-digit points last season (10.7), also returns. Duncan Powell, a top-100 recruit in 2021, missed last year with a knee injury but is back.
Key additions: Three-star guard Tyrese Elliott of Loganville, Georgia, should contribute right away. JUCO transfer Kam Woods, who played a season at Troy in 2020-21, is another guard who should factor into Shumpert’s rotation.
Departed players: Guards Kameron Langley and Tyler Maye are gone, so the Aggies will need to replace their veteran leadership.
Expectations: The Aggies were picked to finish 11th in the Colonial by the conference’s coaches, and Shumpert will have his work cut out for him in leading A&T on short notice.
