Today is Awkward-Fest 2011 (aka Big East Media Day) and this morning Pitt was picked to finish 4th in the Big East this season and received 1 first-place vote. Syracuse and Connecticut tied for 1st place and Louisville was picked 3rd. The coaches are not allowed to rank their own teams on their ballots.
Ashton Gibbs was also given the title of Big East Preseason Player of the Year and was named to the All-Big East 1st Team.
The results of the poll are as followed:
T-1: Connecticut (7) 209
T-1: Syracuse (5) 209
3: Louisville (3) 201
4: Pittsburgh (1) 188
5: Cincinnati 169
6: Marquette 155
7: West Virginia 132
8: Villanova 127
9: Notre Dame 114
10: Georgetown 104
11: Rutgers 75
12: St. John's 71
13: Seton Hall 56
14: South Florida 43
15: Providence 40
16: DePaul 27
Player awards after the jump
Preseason Player of the Year: Ashton Gibbs, Pitt
Preseason Rookie of the Year: Andre Drummond, Connecticut
All-Big East 1st Team:
Ashton Gibbs, Pitt
Jeremy Lamb, Connecticut
Darius Johnson-Odom, Marquette
Tim Abromaitis, Notre Dame
Kris Joesph, Syracuse
Kevin Jones, West Virginia
All-Big East 2nd Team:
Yancy Gates, Cincinnati
Alex Oriakhi, Connecticut
Peyton Siva, Louisville
Scoop Jardine, Syracuse
Maalik Wayns, Villanova
All-Big East 3rd Team:
Andre Drummond, Connecticut
Shabazz Napier, Connecticut
Cleveland Melvin, DePaul
Jae Crowder, Marquette
Augustus Gilchrist, South Florida