NEW YORK – Villanova, the reigning NCAA champion, has been selected to win the 2018-19 BIG EAST regular-season crown in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches’ Poll. The Wildcats received eight first-place votes from the league’s head coaches and a total of 79 points in the poll. Marquette and Butler received one first-place vote. Coaches do not place their own teams on their ballots.
The coaches have placed the Wildcats in the top spot for five straight seasons. Villanova had won a league-record four straight BIG EAST crowns outright before finishing second to Xavier last year. Villanova was 14-4 in league play last season, one game behind the Musketeers.