NEW YORK (Dec. 18, 2025) – The Connecticut Huskies, the 2025 BIG EAST co-regular-season champion, were picked as the favorite in the BIG EAST Baseball Preseason Coaches’ Poll, which was announced by the Conference on Thursday.
Xavier’s senior first baseman Connor Misch was selected as the BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year, while Seton Hall’s sophomore right-handed pitcher Steven Svenson locked up Preseason Pitcher of the Year accolades.
The Huskies enter the 2026 campaign fresh off a 17-4 league season, and a spot in the BIG EAST Championship game. The Huskies landed five first-place votes and 46 points, while landing three players on the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team.
Picked to finish second in the league standings with three first-place votes and 43 points, the Creighton Bluejays had two student-athletes selected to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team. Last season, the Bluejays earned a share of the regular season title with a 17-4 conference record, won the BIG EAST Championship and reached the finals of the NCAA Fayetteville Region.
Xavier collected 37 points to be selected to finish third in 2026. The Musketeers earned the No. 3 seed in the BIG EAST Tournament with a 14-7 regular season mark a season ago. The Musketeers boast three players on the Preseason All-BIG EAST team.
Looking to get back to Prasco Park, St. John’s has been selected to finish fourth in 2026 with 32 points and has three players on the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team. The Red Storm capped the 2025 season with a 13-8 record in league play.
Following closely behind with 26 points, No. 5 Seton Hall looks to improve on a 10-11 conference season in 2025, led by a pair of players on the All-League Team, highlighted by Preseason Pitcher of the Year Svenson.
Rounding out the poll, No. 6 Villanova collected 19 points, No. 7 Georgetown received 13 points and No. 8 Butler earned eight points.
A member of the the 2025 All-BIG EAST First Team, as well as the 2024 All-BIG EAST Second Team, Misch was selected the BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year. In 21 league games a season ago, Misch batted an outstanding .448 on 67 at bats, collecting a 1.238 OPS. Overall, he batted .332 in 59 starts, with 65 hits, 42 runs and four home runs.
Earning a spot on the 2025 All-BIG EAST First Team as a true freshman, Svenson enters his second season in South Orange looking to lead from the mound. In league play, Svenson earned six starts in seven appearances with just a 0.99 WHIP and 2.15 ERA. In 29.1 innings pitched, he registered 18 strikeouts and allowed just seven earned runs on 19 hits.
Six players earned unanimous votes on the Preseason All-BIG EAST team, including Creighton’s Connor Capece and Wilson Magers, Georgetown’s JT Raab, St. John’s Jon LeGrand and Shaun McMillan and Xavier’s Misch.
The coaches’ poll, all-conference team and major awards were voted on by the league’s eight coaches, who could not cast votes for their team or their players.
2026 Preseason Baseball All-BIG EAST Team and Awards
Preseason Player of the Year
Connor Misch, 1B, Sr., Xavier
Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Steven Svenson, RHP, So., Seton Hall
Preseason All-BIG EAST Team *
Sean Finn, RP, Jr., UConn
Tyler Minick, OF, Jr., UConn
Rob Rispoli, SS, R-So., UConn
Connor Capece, C, Jr., Creighton ^
Wilson Magers, SP, So., Creighton ^
JT Raab, SP, Gr., Georgetown ^
Jon LeGrande, OF, Jr., St. John's ^
Shaun McMillan, 2B/DH, So., St. John’s ^
Jayder Raifstanger, 3B, Jr., St. John’s
John Downing, RP, Sr., Seton Hall
Steven Svenson, SP, So., Seton Hall
Clay Burdette, OF, Jr., Xavier
Connor Misch, 1B, Sr., Xavier ^
Ryan Piech, SP, Jr., Xavier
^ - Unanimous Selection
* - due to a tie in voting, there are extra members on the preseason all-conference team.
BIG EAST Baseball Preseason Poll
First place votes in ( )
1. UConn (5) - 46
2. Creighton (3) - 43
3. Xavier - 37
4. St. John’s - 32
5. Seton Hall - 26
6. Villanova - 19
7. Georgetown - 13
8. Butler - 8