The Big East has been represented by UConn in the Final Four in nine of the last 10 NCAA Tournaments. Photo courtesy of Big East Conference.
MARIA CLARA KOLLER | STAFF REPORTER | mkollerfernandez@butler.edu
This offseason has brought roster and coaching changes to the Big East. With the 2024-25 season so close ahead, here is everything you need to know about the Big East this season.
Teams are listed according to their Big East records last year (from top to bottom).
UConn
Key Additions: Sarah Strong (first-year), Allie Ziebell (first-year), Morgan Cheli (first-year)
Key Departures: Aaliyah Edwards (drafted sixth overall by Washington Mystics) and Nika Mühl (All-time career assist holder, selected 14th overall by Seattle Storm)
Key Returners: Paige Bueckers (2024 Big East Player of the Year), KK Arnold (2024 Big East Freshman of the Year)
Coming back from a 33-6 overall record — and going undefeated in the Big East — UConn has certainly made their case to be top favorites for this season’s National Championship. Despite the departures of Edwards and Mühl, the addition of three top-ranked McDonald’s All-American first-years will reinforce the already talent-packed Huskies. After being named a Preseason AP All-American, Bueckers looks to lead UConn back to the Final Four and push them over the line to a National Championship in her final season.
Creighton
Key Additions: Allison Heathcock (first-year), Elizabeth Gentry (first-year) and Brooke Littrell (graduate transfer)
Key Departures: Emma Ronsiek (averaged 16.8 points and 5.3 rebounds)
Key Returners: Lauren Jensen (All-Big East First Team)
After finishing second place in the Big East last year, Creighton has proved it is one of the best teams in college basketball right now, ranking 21st in the AP Preseason Poll. Ronsiek’s departure from the team leaves a big hole. However, first-years Heathcock and Gentry look to fill that void alongside Jensen, one of the Big East’s best returning players. Despite their current squad and new additions, it is hard to imagine them finishing anywhere other than second in the Big East given UConn’s dominance.
Marquette
Key Additions: Aryelle Stevens (junior transfer), Ayuen Akot (junior transfer), Jada Bediako (sophomore transfer), Jaidynn Mason (junior transfer)
Key Departures: Liza Karlen (All-Big East First Team), Jordan King (All-Big East Second Team)
Key Returners: Lee Volker (averaged 3.5 points and 2.6 rebounds in 32 games) and Skylar Forbes (averaged 4.7 points and 3.9 rebounds in 32 games)
Marquette finished third in the Big East last year, however, that will likely change this season. The Golden Eagles lost two key players in Karlen and King, not to mention their coach Megan Duffy — who left the Golden Eagles for Virginia Tech. Despite this, Marquette remarkably did not add any freshman to their roster. Instead, the team opted to look into the transfer portal for players such as Stevens, Akot, Bediako and Mason. Due to their drastic roster changes, Marquette is not expected to improve on their 23-9 record.
Villanova
Key Additions: Jasmine Bascoe (first-year), Dani Ceseretti (first-year), Rachel Wirts (first-year)
Key Departures: Lucy Olsen (Unanimous All-Big East First Team) and Zanai Jones (averaged 6.7 points and 2.6 rebounds)
Key Returners: Maddie Webber (Big East All-Freshman Team) and Kaitlyn Orihel (averaged 6.0 points and 2.5 rebounds)
Villanova has a huge challenge ahead of it this season. The team finished fourth in the Big East last season with an overall record of 22-13. However, its squad was completely torn by the transfer portal. Juniors Olsen and Jones, the heart of the team, left the team meaning that only two out of the five starters return this season. It will be up to the incoming first-years and rising sophomores to step into the start spots that are left.
St. John’s
Key Additions: A’riel Little (first-year), Lashae Dwyer (senior transfer) and Kylie Lavelle (junior transfer)
Key Departures: Unique Drake (Unanimous All-Big East First Team)
Key Returners: Ber’Nyah Mayo (10.9 points per game) and Jailah Donald (5.8 points per game)
St. John’s barely finished in the top half of the Big East table with a 23-12 record. However with the departure of Drake, the Red Storm’s challenge is clear: how far can they go without a clear star player? Mayo is the clear candidate to fill in for Drake, although it will also be up to Littler, Dwyer and Lavelle to step up and settle in quickly.
Georgetown
Key Additions: Khadee Hession (first-year), Amanda Ajobiewe (first-year), Chetanna Nweke (graduate transfer), Siobhan Ryan (graduate transfer)
Key Departures: Alex Cowan (started all 35 games last season),
Key Returners: Kelsey Ransom (Big East co-Defensive Player of the Year), Brianna Scott (Sixth Woman Award winner), Ariel Jenkins (started 18 games last season)
Despite winning 23 games last season, Georgetown’s inability to capitalize in conference games landed them in the middle of the Big East standings. First-years Hession, Ajobiewe and Nweke will look to break into the team; however, Richmond transfer Ryan will attempt to fill the gap left by Cowan. Given the departures for both Villanova and Marquette, the Hoyas have everything in place to improve from last year. With that said, Georgetown’s returning trio of Ransom, Scott and Jenkins come back after being the Hoyas best players last season and look to push the team over the line.
Seton Hall
Key Additions: Jada Eads (first-year), Ja-Kahla Craft (first-year)
Key Departures: Azana Baines (All-Big East First Team) and Kae Satterfield (third in Big East field goal percentage)
Key Returners: Amari Wright (Ranked 2nd in Big East for assists, only starter left from 2024)
Seton Hall finished seventh last season. This season, the team lost two key players in Baines, one of the most impactful Big East players, and Satterfield. Wright, the only starter left from last season’s team, is joined by talented first-years Eads and Craft. Due to its large number of departures and lack of key additions that can make an impact straight away, Seton Hall will surely finish in the lower third of the Big East standings.
Butler
Key Additions: Mckenzie Swanson (first-year) and Kilyn McGuff (senior transfer)
Key Departures: Rachel Kent (Third-most three-pointers made in the Big East)
Key Returners: Caroline Strande (Preseason All-Big East Team)
Butler currently finds itself rebuilding its squad. Despite finishing eighth in the Big East last year, the Bulldogs have gradually improved each year since the 2020-21 season. Similar to Georgetown, the shake-ups in some of the other Big East teams give the Dawgs a clear pathway to break through to some of the top teams in the conference. Strande, who was just awarded All-Conference honors, and McGuff, Butler’s newest addition, look to lead the Bulldogs to their first winning season since the 2019-2020 campaign.
Providence
Key Additions: Orlagh Gormley (first-year) and Audrey Shields (first-year)
Key Departures: Kendall Eddy (made six starts) and Bella McLaughlin (Played 18 out of 33 games)
Key Returning: Marta Morales Romero (Averaged 7.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 32 games) and Olivia Olsen (Led team in scoring, rebounding, blocked shots and field goal percentage)
The Providence Friars finished ninth in the conference last season with a 13-21 overall record and went 6-12 in the Big East. Their lack of additions and squad depth means it should not be a surprise to anybody if the Friars do not improve. Providence has a serious problem on its hands since 10 of their 14 players are going into their last or second to last season of eligibility, and did not opt to add any new talent to the team except first-years Gormley and Shields.
DePaul
Key Additions: Taylor Johnson-Matthews (junior transfer), Alayna West (first-year), Angelina Smith (first-year), Emory Klatt (first-year)
Key Departures: Katlyn Gilbert (led Big East with 2.5 steals per game), Anaya Peoples (led team in scoring, rebounds, assists and blocks), Michelle Sidor (led team in three-point percentage)
Key Returners: Kate Clarke (9.8 points per game), Maeve McErlane (4.6 points per game)
DePaul’s 12-20 record landed the team in the 10th spot in the Big East last year, finishing only above Xavier, who only recorded one win in their entire season. Despite adding new talent in the form of West, Smith, Johnson-Matthews and Klatt, the Blue Demons are still in the rebuilding phase. The team will be looking at juniors Clarke and McErlane to lead the team through this season.
Xavier
Key Additions: Meri Kanerva (first-year), Phoebe Holmes (first-year), and Petra Oborilova (junior transfer)
Key Departures: Nila Blackford (team-high 5.5 rebounds per game) and Mackayla Scarlett (led team scoring 10.9 points per game)
Key Returners: Aizhanique Mayo (10.1 points per game)
Xavier finds itself facing an uphill battle this season. The Musketeers finished dead last in the 2023-24 season after only winning one game. The program attempted to continue the rebuilding process, which has so far proven to be a tough challenge. Xavier has not had a winning season since 2015-16 and has shown no positive progress towards getting back to their winning ways. Subsequently, the team has not attracted any players that can create a real immediate change.
