Butler was picked third in the BIG EAST preseason poll in a vote of the conference's head coaches. The conference announced the preseason poll and the preseason All-BIG EAST team Wednesday, August 16.
 
The Bulldogs won the 2017 BIG EAST title by winning the conference tournament after finishing second in the regular season with a 6-3 league mark. Among the group returning for the 2017 season are a pair of preseason all-league selections in midfielders Jared Timmer and Lewis Suddick.
 
Timmer, one of the conference's best two-way players, earned first-team All-BIG EAST honors in 2016 when his nine assists led both the Bulldogs and the BIG EAST. He started all 20 matches as a sophomore and was selected to the BIG EAST All-Newcomer Team during his freshman campaign in 2015.
 
Suddick started all 20 matches during his freshman season, earning a spot on the conference's All-Newcomer Team. He finished second on the team in goals (11), points (26), shots on goal (25) and game winning goals (3).
 
Providence, led by Preseason Offensive Player of the Year Mac Steeves, was chosen as the BIG EAST preseason favorite.
 
Butler finished the 2016 season with a record of 13-5-2 and was ranked No. 11 nationally leading into NCAA Tournament after being ranked in the Top 25 for a majority of the season and as high as seventh nationally.
 
The Bulldogs will look to replace the scoring and leadership of NSCAA All-American and BIG EAST Co-Offensive Player of the Year David Goldsmith, but the team returns nine starters on a talented roster.
 
2017 Men's Soccer Preseason Honors
 
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Mac Steeves, Providence, RS-Sr., F *
 
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Cory Brown, Xavier, Sr., D *
 
Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year
JT Marcinkowski, Georgetown, Jr. *
 
2017 Men's Soccer Preseason All-BIG EAST #
Ricky Lopez-Espin, Creighton, Sr., F
Mac Steeves, Providence, RS-Sr., F
Harry Cooksley, St. John's, So., F ^
Lewis Suddick, Butler, So., M
Jared Timmer, Butler, Jr., M
Christopher Lema, Georgetown, Sr., M
Luka Prpa, Marquette, So., M
Andreas Bartosinksi, Villanova, Sr., M
Lucas Stauffer, Creighton, Jr., D
Mark Jecewiz, Providence, RS-Jr., D
Cory Brown, Xavier, Sr., D ^
JT Marcinkowski, Georgetown, Jr., GK
 
2017 BIG EAST Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll
First place votes in ( )

1. Providence (9)	81 pts.
2. Creighton (1)	70
3. Butler	68
4. Villanova	52
5. Georgetown	46
6. Xavier	45
7. Marquette	30
8. St. John's	27
9. DePaul	21
10. Seton Hall	10

 
^ - denotes unanimous selection
# there is an extra player on the preseason All-BIG EAST team due to a tie in voting
* - won Preseason Offensive Player of the Year in 2016