NEW YORK – The 2020 BIG EAST baseball preseason awards were unveiled on Wednesday afternoon by the conference office. The Bulldogs were picked fifth in the preseason coaches' poll in a year that features a three-way tie for second place. Top honors went to Butler's Connor Schultz and the Red Storm's Mike Antico. The preseason pick to win the conference in 2020 went to the Creighton Bluejays.
 
Creighton only received two first place votes, but edged their counterparts in the poll with 29 points. Seton Hall, St. John's and Xavier all tied for second place with 28 points. The Pirates picked up the most first-place votes with three, but remained tied in the poll. St. John's and Xavier also received one first-place vote.
 
The Bulldogs landed in fifth in the preseason poll (14) after posting a 26-26 record one year ago. The poll rounded out with Villanova in sixth (11) and Georgetown in seventh (9).
 
Butler's lone Preseason All-BIG EAST selection was also recognized as the Preseason Pitcher of the Year. Junior Connor Schultz is coming off a First Team All-BIG EAST selection in 2019. He ranked second in the BIG EAST and 44th in the NCAA last year with a 2.29 ERA. He ranked third in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.76) and was a two-time BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week.
 
Schultz started in 13 games and held a 6-1 record on the mound. He struck out 79 batters over 78.2 innings of work.
 
2020 Preseason Baseball All-BIG EAST Team and Awards
 
Preseason Co-Players of the Year
Mike Antico, St. John's, Sr., OF ^
 
Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Connor Schultz, Butler, Jr., RHP
 
Preseason All-BIG EAST *
Natale Monastra, Xavier, Sr., C
^ Matt Toke, Seton Hall, 1B
Ryan Altenberger, Xavier, Jr., 2B
Jack Housinger, Xavier, So., SS
Eddie McCabe, Georgetown, Jr., 3B
Ryan Mantle, Creighton, RS-Sr., DH
Jared Wegner, Creighton, So., OF
^ Mike Antico, St. John's, Sr., OF
Tyler Shedler-McAvoy, Seton Hall, Sr., OF
^ Connor Schultz, Butler, Jr., RHP
Noah Thompson, Seton Hall, Sr., RHP
Nick Mondak, St. John's, Sr., LHP
David Festa, Seton Hall, So., RHP
Gordon Graceffo, Villanova, So., RHP
Nick LoRusso, Villanova, So., INF/RHP
^ Lane Flamm, Xavier, So., RHP (RP)
 
Preseason Coaches' Poll
First place votes in ( )
1.  Creighton (2) – 29 pts.
T2. Seton Hall (3) – 28
T2. St. John's (1) – 28
T2. Xavier (1) – 28
5. Butler – 14
6. Villanova – 11
7. Georgetown – 9
 
^ - denotes unanimous selection­­­­
* due to a tie in voting, there are six starting pitchers on the preseason all-conference team