UConn back on top of the Big East preseason poll, led by preseason Player of the Year Sarah Strong

NEW YORK (AP) — UConn was in its familiar place — atop the preseason poll in the Big East.

The Huskies have won the regular-season conference title 25 times and the Big East Tournament 24, including both each year since UConn returned in 2021. Geno Auriemma's team, which was a unanimous choice, is led by preseason Big East Player of the Year Sarah Strong. The junior won the conference's Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year last season. She was the AP Player of the Year last season.

UConn went 38-1, including a perfect 20-0 mark in conference play last season.

Villanova was picked second as the Wildcats are coming off their fifth consecutive 20-win season in which they reached the Big East Tournament title game. They are led by Jasmine Bascoe, who averaged 18.9 points and 4.0 rebounds last season. The Wildcats open their season against Notre Dame in Rome as part of the Eternal City Tip-Off.

Creighton, St. John's and Seton Hall rounded out the top five.

Marquette was sixth with Providence, Georgetown and Xavier next. Butler, led by new head coach Maria Marchesano, and DePaul rounded out the poll.

The Big East held its annual media day at a local New York hotel instead of Madison Square Garden, which has hosted the event every year since 2014.

The event was presided over by new conference commissioner Tim Brosnan, who took over for Val Ackerman. Ackerman, who was the head of the conference from 2013-26, retired at the end of August.

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