BIG EAST Basketball Preseason Poll Released

In the recently released BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll, St. John's has been predicted to finish fifth for the second consecutive year, despite significant offseason acquisitions, including transfers Kadary Richmond and Deivon Smith. Connecticut is projected to dominate the conference, receiving all 10 first-place votes, followed by Creighton in second and Xavier in third. Villanova's men's team, coming off a disappointing season, has been ranked seventh, while the women's team is also placed sixth. Eric Dixon of Villanova was recognized on the all-conference first team, while UConn's Ryan Kalkbrenner is the preseason player of the year. The upcoming season begins for St. John's on November 4 against Fordham, while Villanova opens on November 10 against Wake Forest.