Order has been restored in the world of Big East women’s basketball or at least in the balloting of the Big East coaches.
A year after UConn was not the preseason pick to win the conference title for just the second time since 1994; the Huskies were the overwhelming choice to win yet another Big East title.

UConn was also the only team with three players named to the preseason All-Big East team as juniors Stefanie Dolson and Bria Hartley were joined by sophomore Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis on the squad while Breanna Stewart was named the preseason Big East Freshman of the Year.

With eight of the top nine scorers returning and Stewart headlining what was considered to be the nation’s top recruiting class, the Huskies have one of their deepest teams in several years.

The Big East coaches took note as 12 of the 15 first-place votes with the other three (including the one from UConn’s Geno Auriemma) went to Notre Dame.

Notre Dame, which backed up the honor of being picked to finish first in the Big East a year ago by winning the regular-season title, lost some key players off the team which reached the last two national championship games including first-round WNBA picks Devereaux Peters and Natalie Novosel but was still picked second.

The Fighting Irish did have the preseason Big East Player of the Year in senior guard Skylar Diggins.
UConn is accustomed to being in the favorite role and seem to be embracing the lofty expectations.

“The expectations here are the same regardless so if everyone expected to go to the Final Four and contend for a national championship without Maya Moore, isn't the expectation this year to go undefeated and win every game by 100 so I might as well say 'yeah, that is what we are going to do,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said.