Regular Season Champion: UConn Huskies

After winning back to back national championships, UConn’s roster looks quite a bit different. They lost four players to the NBA including two lottery picks in Castle and Clingan. It won’t be as easy as it was last year when they finished at 18-2 in the Big East, but this team is still very talented. With Karaban, Diarra, and Samson Johnson back, plus the additions of Aidan Mahaney and five-star freshman Liam McNeeley, the Huskies will still be at the top. As long as UConn has the best coach in the country in Dan Hurley and his top assistant coaching staff, the Huskies will likely be the favorite to win the Big East every year.

Coach of the Year: Sean Miller, Xavier

Xavier is coming off a losing season but should be right back in the mix in the Big East this year. Sean Miller has always been successful in the regular season, and with his best player back from injury in Zach Freemantle and a solid transfer class joining returning lead guard Dayvion McKnight, it’s hard not to think Xavier has a good chance to finish much higher in the Big East. With that improvement and a predicted return to the NCAA Tournament, Miller is my pick for Big East Coach of the Year.

Player of the Year: Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton

Ryan Kalkbrenner is the favorite to win this Big East award. With Creighton losing Baylor Scheierman and Trey Alexander to the NBA, McDermott will ask even more of Kalkbrenner this season. He is coming off a season in which he averaged 17.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks. With Creighton needing to play through him more, his offensive numbers will likely go up. What is most impressive is that he plays without fouling so his impact is felt for nearly 35 minutes a night. His rim protection makes him one of the most valuable defensive players in the country, and he’s very skilled on the offensive end as well. A guy like Kam Jones could definitely win this award at Marquette, but it’s hard to convince me that Kalkbrenner isn’t the most valuable player. It’s his award to lose.