NEW YORK -- The BIG EAST Conference held its annual women's basketball media day on Tuesday afternoon at Madison Square Garden in New York where junior guard Lucy Olsen (Collegeville, Pa.) was named to the Preseason All-BIG East team and Villanova was picked to finish fourth in the preseason predicted order of finish with 76 points.

Connecticut was selected to win the conference championship with 100 points and 10 first place votes, while Creighton was second with 90 points and one first place vote.
 
Olsen is coming off a stellar sophomore season where she averaged 12.4 points per game and 4.1 rebounds per contest to go with a team-high 163 assists. In 37 games a season ago, she shot .411 from the field (173-of-421) and .356 from three-point range (52-of-146). For her efforts last year, Olsen earned second team All-BIG EAST honors.
 
The Wildcats tallied a 30-7 overall record and a 17-3 BIG EAST Conference mark last year and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
 
Villanova is set to open the 2023-24 season on Friday, Nov. 10, when the Wildcats travel to the Pacific Northwest to take on the University of Portland.
 
BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll
1.         Connecticut (10)                                 100
2.          Creighton (1)                                        90
3.          Marquette                                         79
4.         VILLANOVA                                          76
5.         Seton Hall                                           58
6.         St. John's                                             52
7.         DePaul                                                49
8.         Butler                                                  37
9.         Providence                                          32
10.       Georgetown                                        20
11.       Xavier                                                  12