NEW YORK (October 24, 2023) – Marquette guard Tyler Kolek has been named 2023-24 BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year by a vote of the league’s head coaches. Connecticut guard Stephon Castle has been chosen BIG EAST Preseason Freshman of the Year. The coaches, who were not permitted to select their own players, also chose an All-BIG EAST First Team, All-BIG EAST Second Team and All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention.
Kolek, a 6-3 junior, was the 2022-23 BIG EAST Player of the Year while leading Marquette to the school’s first outright regular-season title. Kolek also guided the Golden Eagles to their first BIG EAST Tournament crown and won the Dave Gavitt Trophy as the Most Outstanding Player. The native of Cumberland, R.I., averaged 12.9 points, led the league in assists with a 7.5 average and was first in assist/turnover ratio at 3.0. Marquette finished with an overall 29-7 record.
Castle, a 6-6 guard, was one of the nation’s top recruits. He comes to UConn following a spectacular high school career at Newton High School in Covington, Ga. Castle was a consensus 5-star national recruit. He was named a McDonald’s All-American and to the MaxPreps All-American Second Team. As a senior, he averaged 20.1 points, 9.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 3.0 steals, and 2.0 blocks.
Creighton’s Ryan Kalkbrenner and Providence’s Bryce Hopkins are two Preseason All-BIG EAST Team picks who were postseason All-BIG EAST Team selections last season. Kalkbrenner has won BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year honors in each of the past two years. Last year, the 7-1 center ranked fifth in the league in scoring with a 15.9 mark and averaged 6.1 rebounds. He was first in field goal shooting, making 69.5 percent and first in blocks at 2.1. Hopkins, a 6-7 forward-guard, was seventh in the league with a 15.8 scoring mark in his first season as a Friar. His 8.5 rebound average ranked second in the BIG EAST.
The remainder of the Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team shows two guards and a center. The guards are Creighton’s Trey Alexander and Villanova’s Justin Moore. Alexander, a 6-4 junior, averaged 13.6 points and ranked fifth in 3-point shooting, hitting 41 percent. Moore, a 6-4 graduate student, returned to play 13 games last season after a long recovery following Achilles surgery. He was a Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team pick last year.
St. John’s center Joel Soriano earned All-BIG EAST First Team honors after averaging 15.2 points and a league-leading 11.9 rebounds. The 6-11 senior’s rebound average was more than three better than all other players in the league. His 25 double-doubles ranked second nationally.
Marquette has two players on the All-BIG EAST Second Team, guard Kam Jones and forward Oso Ighodaro. Jones led the Golden Eagles in scoring with 15.1 average. Ighodaro was an all-around contributor, averaging 11.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.5 blocked shots. Jones and Ighodaro were All-BIG EAST Second Team postseason picks last year.
Connecticut sophomore Donovan Clingan is slated for a more prominent role after making the BIG EAST All-Freshman Team last season. The 7-2 center averaged 6.9 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.8 blocks while shooting 65.5 percent from the floor.
Creighton’s 6-7 senior Baylor Scheierman averaged 12.8 points and 8.3 rebounds in his first season with the Bluejays. His rebound mark ranked third in the BIG EAST.
Villanova redshirt-senior Eric Dixon was a solid frontcourt contributor last season. He averaged 15.4 points and 6.6 rebounds, while earning All-BIG EAST Second Team honors.
The All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention group includes three players. UConn sophomore forward Alex Karaban was a unanimous pick for the BIG EAST All-Freshman Team. Providence junior guard Devin Carter is an elite defender who makes all-around offensive contributions. Xavier graduate student Zach Freemantle is a frontcourt veteran who missed the second half of last season with a foot injury.
2023-24 BIG EAST Preseason Honors
BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year
Tyler Kolek, Marquette, G, Sr., 6-3, 190, Cumberland, R.I.
BIG EAST Preseason Freshman of the Year
Stephon Castle, Connecticut, G, Fr., 6-6, 215, Covington, Ga.
Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team
Trey Alexander, Creighton, G, Jr., 6-4, 190, Oklahoma City, Okla.
*Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton, C, Sr., 7-1, 270, St. Louis, Mo.
Bryce Hopkins, Providence, F-G, Jr., 6-7, 220, Oak Park, Ill.
Joel Soriano, St. John’s, C, Sr., 6-11, 255, Yonkers, N.Y.
Justin Moore, Villanova, G, Gr., 6-4, 210, Fort Washington, Md.
Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team
Donovan Clingan, Connecticut, C, So., 7-2, 280, Bristol, Conn.
Baylor Scheierman, Creighton, G, Sr., 6-7, 205, Aurora, Neb.
Oso Ighodaro, Marquette, F, Sr., 6-11, 225, Chandler, Ariz.
Kam Jones, Marquette, G, Jr., 6-5, 200, Memphis, Tenn.
Eric Dixon, Villanova, F, R-Sr., 6-8, 255, Willow Grove, Pa.
Preseason All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention
Alex Karaban, Connecticut, F, R-So., 6-8, 220, Southborough, Mass.
Devin Carter, Providence, G, Jr., 6-3, 195, Miami, Fla.
Zach Freemantle, Xavier, F, Gr., 6-9, 227, Teaneck, N.J.
*unanimous selection