DePaul University Athletics
BIG EAST Announces Preseason Picks
10/19/2021 7:29:00 AM | MEN'S BASKETBALL
Conference office and league members kick off 2021-22 season with Media Day at Madison Square Garden
NEW YORK – The BIG EAST Conference announced today the preseason poll, all-conference team and individual honors at the league's annual media day at Madison Square Garden. The 11 head coaches in the BIG EAST voted on the preseason poll and individual honors.
In addition to the preseason all-conference teams, the league's coaches ranked the teams with DePaul coming in at No. 11. Villanova garnered 10 of 11 first-place votes as the league preseason favorite ahead of Connecticut. The Huskies picked up one first-place vote and were followed by Xavier in third and St. John's in fourth place. Seton Hall was picked for fifth followed by Butler and Providence. Creighton was slotted in eighth place ahead of Marquette, Georgetown and DePaul.
Villanova's Collin Gillespie was named the BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year while Georgetown's Aminu Mohammed was selected as the Preseason Freshman of the Year. The preseason first team All-BIG EAST selections included Providence's Nate Watson, Julian Champagnie from St. John's, Seton Hall's Jared Rhoden and the Xavier tandem of Paul Scruggs and Zach Freemantle.
The second team consists of Connecticut's R.J. Cole and Tyrese Martin along with Posh Alexander from St. John's and Villanova's Justin Moore and Jermaine Samuels. Chuck Harris from Butler and Connecticut's Adama Sanogo picked up honorable mention honors.
2021-22 BIG EAST Preseason Honors
BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year
Collin Gillespie, Villanova, G, Gr., 6-3, 195, Huntingdon Valley, Pa.
BIG EAST Preseason Freshman of the Year
Aminu Mohammed, Georgetown, G, Fr., 6-5, 210, Temple Hills, Md.
Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team
Nate Watson, Providence, C, Gr., 6-10, 260, Portsmouth, Va.*
Julian Champagnie, St. John's, G/F, Jr. 6-8, 215, Brooklyn, N.Y.*
Jared Rhoden, Seton Hall, G/F, Sr., 6-6, 210, Baldwin, N.Y.
Paul Scruggs, Xavier, G, Sr., 6-4, 196, Indianapolis, Ind.*
Zach Freemantle, F, Jr., 6-9, 216, Teaneck, N.J.
Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team
R.J. Cole, Connecticut, F, Gr., 6-1, 185, Union, N.J.
Tyrese Martin, Connecticut, G, Sr., 6-6, 215, Allentown, Pa.
Posh Alexander, St. John's, G, So., 6-0, 200, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Justin Moore, Villanova, G, Jr., 6-4, 210, Fort Washington, Md.
Jermaine Samuels, Villanova, F, Gr., 6-7, 230, Franklin, Mass.
Preseason All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention
Chuck Harris, Butler, G, So., 6-2, 190, Ashburn, Va.
Adama Sanogo, Connecticut, F, So., 6-9, 240, Bamako, Mali
*Unanimous selection
2021-22 Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Villanova (10) – 100
2. Connecticut (1) – 84
3. Xavier – 76
4. St. John's – 73
5. Seton Hall – 68
6. Butler – 60
7. Providence – 45
8. Creighton – 38
9. Marquette – 26
10. Georgetown – 25
11. DePaul – 10
First-place votes in parentheses.
In addition to the preseason all-conference teams, the league's coaches ranked the teams with DePaul coming in at No. 11. Villanova garnered 10 of 11 first-place votes as the league preseason favorite ahead of Connecticut. The Huskies picked up one first-place vote and were followed by Xavier in third and St. John's in fourth place. Seton Hall was picked for fifth followed by Butler and Providence. Creighton was slotted in eighth place ahead of Marquette, Georgetown and DePaul.
Villanova's Collin Gillespie was named the BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year while Georgetown's Aminu Mohammed was selected as the Preseason Freshman of the Year. The preseason first team All-BIG EAST selections included Providence's Nate Watson, Julian Champagnie from St. John's, Seton Hall's Jared Rhoden and the Xavier tandem of Paul Scruggs and Zach Freemantle.
The second team consists of Connecticut's R.J. Cole and Tyrese Martin along with Posh Alexander from St. John's and Villanova's Justin Moore and Jermaine Samuels. Chuck Harris from Butler and Connecticut's Adama Sanogo picked up honorable mention honors.
2021-22 BIG EAST Preseason Honors
BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year
Collin Gillespie, Villanova, G, Gr., 6-3, 195, Huntingdon Valley, Pa.
BIG EAST Preseason Freshman of the Year
Aminu Mohammed, Georgetown, G, Fr., 6-5, 210, Temple Hills, Md.
Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team
Nate Watson, Providence, C, Gr., 6-10, 260, Portsmouth, Va.*
Julian Champagnie, St. John's, G/F, Jr. 6-8, 215, Brooklyn, N.Y.*
Jared Rhoden, Seton Hall, G/F, Sr., 6-6, 210, Baldwin, N.Y.
Paul Scruggs, Xavier, G, Sr., 6-4, 196, Indianapolis, Ind.*
Zach Freemantle, F, Jr., 6-9, 216, Teaneck, N.J.
Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team
R.J. Cole, Connecticut, F, Gr., 6-1, 185, Union, N.J.
Tyrese Martin, Connecticut, G, Sr., 6-6, 215, Allentown, Pa.
Posh Alexander, St. John's, G, So., 6-0, 200, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Justin Moore, Villanova, G, Jr., 6-4, 210, Fort Washington, Md.
Jermaine Samuels, Villanova, F, Gr., 6-7, 230, Franklin, Mass.
Preseason All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention
Chuck Harris, Butler, G, So., 6-2, 190, Ashburn, Va.
Adama Sanogo, Connecticut, F, So., 6-9, 240, Bamako, Mali
*Unanimous selection
2021-22 Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Villanova (10) – 100
2. Connecticut (1) – 84
3. Xavier – 76
4. St. John's – 73
5. Seton Hall – 68
6. Butler – 60
7. Providence – 45
8. Creighton – 38
9. Marquette – 26
10. Georgetown – 25
11. DePaul – 10
First-place votes in parentheses.
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