1:
The UConn dynasty continues as usual. Geno Auriemma’s Huskies, ranked No. 2 in the Associated Press preseason top 25, reached the Final Four last season despite multiple injuries to key players. They also went undefeated in the BIG EAST (18-0) and 33-6 overall. This season, Paige Bueckers will be hell-bent on winning March Madness in her final year of eligibility. The No. 1 (F Sarah Strong), No. 7 (G Morgan Cheli), and No. 11 (G Allie Ziebell) freshman recruits in the country will also be debuting in Storrs this season, and anything less than another Final Four appearance will be seen as a failure. Auriemma is just four wins shy of surpassing retired Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer’s record (1,216) to become the all-time winningest coach in women’s college basketball history—a milestone he’s set to achieve alongside a likely BIG EAST title this season.
2:
Creighton made their third straight NCAA tournament berth last season and is ranked No. 21 heading into the season. The sharpshooting Blue Jays went 26-6 overall (15-3 BIG EAST) last season, falling to Georgetown in the BIG EAST tournament semifinals and UCLA in the NCAA round of 32. All-BIG EAST honoree guard Lauren Jensen (17.4 points per game (PPG)) spearheads a convoy of seven returning players looking to operate another unorthodox offense under Jim Flanery, filled with 3-pointers and backdoor cuts. It’s tough to see any of the teams below them matching up with Creighton’s talent and experience.
3:
Someone has to step up behind the big two this year, so why not dream? Our very own Georgetown Hoyas were the BIG EAST’s overachieving surprise last season, catching fire late to reach the conference championship for the first time in program history. In a season marked by the passing of coach Tasha Butts last October, her then-assistant coach, Darnell Haney, and his experienced squad embodied the #TashaTough mentality—advancing to the second round of the Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT) with a 23-12 record (9-9 BIG EAST) after being ranked 10th in last season’s preseason coaches’ poll. Now officially promoted to head coach, Haney will look to keep it rolling with an intriguing mix of freshmen and graduate transfers. Georgetown lost three starters and several bench contributors to graduation, but the last hurrah of graduate guard Kelsey Ransom keeps this team in contention. The First-Team All-BIG EAST guard and co-defensive player of the year led the Hoyas in almost every statistical category last season, including 14.1 PPG. Her tireless, infectious leadership will help the newcomers settle in just fine and have fun doing it.
4:
Villanova (22-13, 11-7 BIG EAST) reached the WBIT finals last year, but lost last season’s top contributors, including powerhouse guard Lucy Olsen and her 23.3 PPG, who transferred to Iowa to replace Caitlin Clark. Maddie Webber and Maddie Burke are the only returning players to have started over 10 games. Therefore, Villanova’s output will likely dip this season, but the team’s coach Denise Dillon is in her fifth year and has a track record of success. Holy Cross transfer and two-time Patriot League Player of the Year Bronagh Power-Cassidy (G, 16.8 PPG) will help fill the scoring void.
5:
Third-year coach Austin Parkinson is confident in his Butler team, and it’s tough not to buy in. The Bulldogs went 1-27 the season before he took over and have been improving steadily since, going from 11-19 to 15-17 (6-12 BIG EAST) last season. They return eight players, including rising star guard Caroline Strande (15.1 PPG). “I think we’ve got several players who are going to make a pretty big impact that maybe people are overlooking,” Parkinson said at BIG EAST Media Day, suggesting that some of Strande’s supporting cast will also make a leap.
6:
While successful last season, St. John’s (18-15, 11-7 BIG EAST), like Villanova, is suffering from roster turnover. They lost their two top scorers, Unique Drake and Jillian Archer, but are bringing in four transfers to fill the void. Experienced coach Joe Tartamella and double-digit scoring guard Ber’Nyah Mayo (10.9 PPG) will lessen the blow, but it’s tough to predict anything other than an up-and-down season.
7:
The Marquette Golden Eagles (23-9, 11-7 BIG EAST) soared into the NCAA tournament for the third time in the past four years in 2023-24. So why are they ranked so low? More roster turnover. Coach Megan Duffy left for Virginia Tech, sparking a mass exodus that saw only two players with minutes last year remain. New coach Cara Consegura has a tough task ahead of her, but program culture and coaching talent should help Marquette contend near the middle of the BIG EAST pack.
8:
The Friars over at Providence are ranked No. 3 in the BIG EAST preseason coaches’ poll, but that is a gross overestimation of their potential. Second-year coach Erin Batth does return six upperclassmen, but their record (13-21, 6-12 BIG EAST) did not increase much from the season before Batth arrived. This team will improve marginally from last season, but might not crack .500.
9:
Seton Hall (17-15, 8-10 BIG EAST), has nowhere to go but down, with both of their leading scorers departing. Returning leaders Savannah Catalon and Amari Wright are hoping to steady the pirate ship and integrate numerous transfers into the crew, but in 2024-25, X marks the spot for ninth position, not the spoils of postseason contention.
10:
The Blue Demons of DePaul return their second and third leading scorers, Jorie Allen and Kate Clarke, reinforced by six freshmen. While this inexperienced squad could contend in the future, they will struggle to improve upon a record of 4-14 in the BIG EAST and 12-20 overall in 2023-24. After the unfortunate news that head coach Doug Bruno suffered a medical incident this September, coach Jill M. Pizzotti will look to foster stability in the interim.
11:
After going 1-27 overall last time around, a BIG EAST win would be an improvement for Xavier. Don’t bet on it.
