For the second time since 1993 and the first since 2005, the UConn Huskies women’s basketball team is not picked to finish first in the Big East Conference.
The honor this year goes to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The Huskies were picked to finish second behind the Irish.
Some of the Huskies were also honored by the coaches as part of the Preseason All-Big East Teams.
Senior Tiffany Hayes and sophomore guard Bria Hartley were named to the Preseason All-Big East Teams. Sophomore center Stefanie Dolson was named to the Honorable Mention Preseason All-Big East Team.
Freshman Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis was picked as the Preseason Freshman of the Year.
For a full look at the 2011-12 Big East Preseason Coaches Poll along with the All-Big East Teams, click on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.
| 2011-12 Preseason BIG EAST Coaches Poll | |
| Team | Pts |
| 1. Notre Dame (9) | 219 |
| 2. Connecticut (7) | 216 |
| 3. Louisville | 191 |
| 4. Rutgers | 176 |
| 5. Georgetown | 175 |
| 6. DePaul | 152 |
| 7. St. Johns | 145 |
| 8. Syracuse | 123 |
| 9. West Virginia | 108 |
| 10. USF | 96 |
| 11. Marquette | 92 |
| 12. Pittsburgh | 62 |
| 13. Villanova | 54 |
| 14. Providence | 51 |
| 15. Cincinnati | 38 |
| 16. Seton Hall | 22 |
2011-12 Preseason Awards
Preseason Player of the Year
- Skylar Diggins, Notre Dame
Preseason Freshman of the Year
- Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, Connecticut
Preseason All-BIG EAST Team^
- Bria Hartley, Connecticut
- Tiffany Hayes, Connecticut
- *Keisha Hampton, DePaul
- *Sugar Rodgers, Georgetown
- Monique Reid, Louisville
- Shoni Schimmel, Louisville
- Natalie Novosel, Notre Dame
- Devereaux Peters, Notre Dame
- Shenneika Smith, St. John’s
- Da’Shena Stevens, St. John’s
- Kayla Alexander, Syracuse
Preseason All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention
- Stefanie Dolson, Connecticut
- Khadijah Rushdan, Rutgers
- April Sykes, Rutgers
- Andrea Smith, USF
* – unanimous selections
^Additional member added due to voting tie
