Big East preseason poll shows Villanova has a ways to climb back

NEW YORK — For as much as Villanova’s men’s basketball team wants to shake off last season’s substandard campaign, Kyle Neptune’s fellow coaches haven’t put his team back into the elite yet.

The Wildcats were voted No. 7 in the Big East’s preseason coaches’ poll, behind not just the usual suspects in Connecticut and Creighton but also St. John’s and Providence. The Huskies swept the poll voting, taking all 10 available votes. (Dan Hurley couldn’t vote for his own team, so he voted for Marquette.)

Forward Eric Dixon was voted to the all-conference first team ahead of his last season on the Main Line, and Philly-born transfer from Miami Wooga Poplar made the third team.

UConn’s Ryan Kalkbrenner was voted preseason player of the year, and fellow Husky Lian McNeely freshman of the year.

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On the women’s side, Villanova was picked No. 6 after Lucy Olsen transferred out to follow in Caitlin Clark’s footsteps at Iowa. None of coach Denise Dillon’s Wildcats players made the all-conference squad, which is one big group on the women’s side.

Connecticut swept the women’s poll too (Geno Auriemma voted for Creighton), with superstar Paige Bueckers topping the marquee as the conference’s preseason player of the year.

She is far from alone with the Huskies’ firepower, though, as KK Arnold and Azzi Fudd — who hopes to finally overcome her years of injuries — also made the all-conference squad. One of their new teammates, Sarah Strong, won preseason freshman of the year.

The league’s coaches and many players will meet with the media later Wednesday.

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