With the 2018-19 season just days away, Butler has been tabbed fifth in the BIG EAST Preseason Poll. Junior guard Kamar Baldwin was a unanimous selection to the preseason All-BIG EAST First Team. The conference's head coaches cast the votes, but were not able to place their own teams on their ballots.
 
The preseason poll and preseason All-BIG EAST teams were announced Thursday (Oct. 25) at BIG EAST Media Day at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
 
While being picked fifth in the poll, Butler was one of three BIG EAST team to receive a first-place vote. Villanova, the reigning NCAA champion, was picked to win the 2018-19 BIG EAST regular-season crown by the league's coaches. The Wildcats received eight first-place votes; Marquette and Butler each received one first-place vote. 
 
Villanova was followed in the preseason poll by Marquette, Providence, St. John's, and Butler. Xavier, Georgetown, Seton Hall, Creighton and DePaul make up the second five in the poll.
 
Other than being picked third in the 2015-16 preseason poll, this year's fifth-place selection is the highest for Butler by the BIG EAST coaches (Butler joined the BIG EAST prior to the 2013-14 season). Butler has had a representative on the preseason first team in every season other than 2013-14 (both Kellen Dunham and Roosevelt Jones were on the 2015-16 preseason team).
 
Baldwin's standout 2017-18 campaign propelled the 6-1 guard to a unanimous selection on the preseason All-BIG EAST team. As a sophomore, he averaged 15.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.5 steals. He was even more productive in BIG EAST play as his averages increased to 16.6 points and 5.2 rebounds per conference contest. Baldwin also earned a spot on the 2018 BIG EAST All-Tournament Team thanks in large part to a career-high 32-point outburst against Seton Hall in the quarterfinals. His 893 points through his first two seasons at Butler are the fourth-most in program history.
 
St. John's guard Shamorie Ponds was chosen as the BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year. He joins Baldwin, Georgetown center Jessie Govan, Marquette guard Markus Howard, and Villanova forward Eric Paschall as unanimous selections. Providence's Alpha Diallo joins them on the first team. David Duke of Providence and Villanova's Jahvon Quinerly shared BIG EAST Preseason Freshman of the Year honors.
 
Under new coach LaVall Jordan last year, the Bulldogs finished 21-14 and made their fourth straight NCAA Tournament. This season, Baldwin will take on an even larger role after the graduation of Kelan Martin and Tyler Wideman. Senior guard Paul Jorgensen (10.2), forward Sean McDermott (7.5, 3.9) and guard Aaron Thompson (4.3) all have starting experience. Center Nate Fowler (5.9, 3.1) will likely move into a starting role. Six returnees averaged at least 15 minutes last season.

The Bulldogs open the 2018-19 season Sunday, Oct. 28 with a 2 p.m. exhibition against Tiffin at Hinkle Fieldhouse. The regular season opener is Saturday, Nov. 10 when Miami (Ohio) visits Indianapolis.
 
2018-19 Preseason Coaches' Poll                                             
1. Villanova (8) - 79 points
2. Marquette (1) - 70
3. Providence - 58
4. St. John's - 57
5. Butler (1) - 45
6. Xavier - 41
7. Georgetown - 33
8. Seton Hall - 26
9. Creighton - 25
10. DePaul - 16 

First-place votes in parentheses.

BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year
Shamorie Ponds, St. John's, G, Jr., 6-1, 175, Brooklyn, N.Y.
 
BIG EAST Preseason Freshmen of the Year
David Duke, Providence, G, Fr., 6-5, 198, Providence, R.I.
Jahvon Quinerly, Villanova, G, Fr., 6-1, 175, Hackensack, N.J.
 
BIG EAST Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team
Kamar Baldwin, Butler, G, Jr., 6-1, 195, Winder, Ga.*
Jessie Govan, Georgetown, C, Sr., 6-10, 255, Queens Village, N.Y.*
Markus Howard, Marquette, G, Jr., 5-11, 175, Chandler, Ariz.*
Alpha Diallo, Providence, G, Jr., 6-7, 211, New York, N.Y.
Eric Paschall, Villanova, F, Sr., 6-8, 225, Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.*
 
BIG EAST Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team
Max Strus, DePaul, F, Sr., 6-6, 215, Hickory Hills, Ill.
Sam Hauser, Marquette, F, Jr., 6-8, 225, Stevens Point, Wis.
Justin Simon, St. John's, G, Jr., 6-5, 215, Temcula, Calif.
Myles Powell, Seton Hall, G, Jr., 6-2, 195, Trenton, N.J.
Phil Booth, Villanova, G, Sr., 6-3, 194, Baltimore, Md.
 
Preseason All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention
Martin Krampelj, Creighton, F, Jr., 6-9, 235, Grosuplje, Slovenia
Naji Marshall, Xavier, F, So., 6-7, 222, Atlantic City, N.J.
 
*Unanimous selection