University of Connecticut Athletics
Adama Sanogo Named BIG EAST Preseason Player Of The Year
10/18/2022 12:30:00 AM | Men's Basketball
UConn Athletic Communications / Oct. 18, 2022
NEW YORK – UConn junior forward Adama Sanogo has been named the BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year, the league announced Tuesday at its annual Media Day at Madison Square Garden.
Sanogo, the lone returning First Team All-BIG EAST Player from last season, was selected by a vote of the league's head coaches, who are not allowed to vote for their own players.
"With all the great players in the BIG EAST, I'm honored that I was picked as Preseason Player of the Year," Sanogo said. "I would like to thank the coaches who voted for me and my UConn coaches and teammates for their support. I will try to live up to the honor this season."
In the BIG EAST preseason coaches' poll, UConn was picked fourth in the standings behind Creighton, Xavier and Villanova. Â
"We're excited for Adama," UConn coach Dan Hurley said. "This well-earned recognition is the product of a great deal of hard work and dedication.
"Not since Rudy Gay in 2005 has a Husky been named preseason player of the year. Adama is very deserving and we anticipate an excellent junior season for him." Â Â
Sanogo (Bamako, Mali) is the seventh player from UConn to be named BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year, joining Corny Thompson (1981-82), Donyell Marshall (1993-94), Richard Hamilton (1998-99), Khalid El-Amin (1999-2000), Emeka Okafor (2003-04) and Rudy Gay (2005-06).
The Huskies have also won the league's postseason BIG EAST Player of the Year award seven times – Marshall (1993-94), Ray Allen (1995-96), Hamilton twice (1997-98, 1998-99), Caron Butler (2001-02), Okafor (2003-04) and Hasheem Thabeet (2008-09). In addition, Shabazz Napier won the honor in the American Athletic Conference (2013-14).
Sanogo (Bamako, Mali) was named an All-BIG EAST First Team choice last season after averaging 14.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, shooting .504 overall and blocking 55 shots. He had 22 double-figure scoring games, 10 double-figure rebounding games and nine double-doubles.
In BIG EAST games, Sanogo was seventh in the league in scoring (15.1) and led the league in both rebounding (9.7) and field goal percentage (.509).
In addition to his First Team All-BIG EAST selection last season, Sanogo was also a finalist for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award and named to the USBWA All-District I Team. He was named to the Battle 4 Atlantis All-Tournament Team and was twice named the BIG EAST Player of the Week. Two years ago, he made the BIG EAST All-Freshman Team and the BIG EAST All-Tournament Team.
UConn earned 77 points in the coaches' poll to rank fourth. Creighton (98) was first, followed by Xavier (86), Villanova (85), UConn (77), Providence (62), St. John's (52), Seton Hall (44), Butler (36), Marquette (32), Georgetown (21) and DePaul (12).
2022-23 BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll
(First-place votes in parentheses)
Team                         Pts
Creighton (8)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 98
Xavier (2)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 86
Villanova (1)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 85
UCONNÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 77
Providence                 62
St. John's                   52
Seton Hall                  44
Butler                          36
Marquette                   32
Georgetown               21
DePaul                       12
2022-23 BIG EAST Preseason Honors
Preseason Player of the Year
Adama Sanogo, UConn
Preseason Freshman of the Year
Cam Whitmore, Villanova
Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team
Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton
Jared Bynum, Providence
Posh Alexander, St. John's
Colby Jones, Xavier
Jack Nunge, Xavier
Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team*
Arthur Kaluma, Creighton
Ryan Nembhard, Creighton
Kadary Richmond, Seton Hall
Caleb Daniels, Villanova
Eric Dixon, Villanova
Justin Moore, Villanova
* -- Tie in voting created an extra position
Preseason All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention
Chuck Harris, Butler
Baylor Scheierman, Creighton
Cam Whitmore, Villanova
