Big East Conference facts for kids
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| Association | NCAA |
|---|---|
| Founded | May 31, 1979 (de facto) July 1, 2013 (de jure) |
| Commissioner | Val Ackerman |
| Sports fielded |
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| Division | Division I (Non-Football) |
| No. of teams | 11 (All-Sports Members) |
| Headquarters | New York City |
| Region | Northeastern United States Midwestern United States |
| TV partner(s) | Fox Sports
NBC Sports TNT Sports |
| Locations | |
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The Big East Conference is a group of colleges that compete in sports at the highest level of college athletics, called NCAA Division I. They have 10 men's sports and 12 women's sports. The main office for the Big East is in New York City. There are 11 full member schools, mostly located in the Northeast and Midwest parts of the USA.
The Big East Conference officially started on August 1, 2013. Since then, its teams have won national championships in men's basketball, women's cross country, field hockey, men's lacrosse, and men's soccer. The current leader of the conference is Val Ackerman.
This conference was formed when seven schools, often called the "Catholic Seven," decided to leave the original Big East Conference. These schools wanted to create a new conference that focused mainly on basketball, rather than football. The "Catholic Seven" schools were DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, Seton Hall, St. John's, and Villanova. They announced their decision in December 2012.
In March 2013, the new conference bought the Big East name, logos, basketball records, and the right to hold the Big East Men's Basketball Tournament at Madison Square Garden. The football-playing schools from the old Big East then formed a new group called the American Athletic Conference (AAC). Both the new Big East and the AAC share the same founding date of 1979, when the original conference was started by Dave Gavitt, and they share the same history up until 2013.
Three more schools, Butler, Creighton, and Xavier, joined the new Big East when it officially launched on July 1, 2013. In June 2019, the University of Connecticut (UConn) was invited to "re-join" the conference from the AAC, which they did on July 1, 2020. Football is not a main sport in the Big East. UConn is the only full member with a top-level football team in Division I FBS. However, Butler, Georgetown, and Villanova do have football teams in the second-level Division I FCS. The conference also has other schools that join only for certain sports like field hockey and lacrosse.
Contents
- History of the Big East Conference
- Commissioners of the Big East
- Academics at Big East Schools
- Team Apparel Sponsors
- Member Schools of the Big East
- Men's Sports in the Big East
- Women's Sports in the Big East
- NCAA Team Championships Won by Big East Members
- Sports Facilities
- More Information
- See also
History of the Big East Conference
How the Original Big East Started
The first Big East Conference began in 1979. Dave Gavitt, a basketball coach from Providence College, led the effort to create a sports conference focused on basketball teams along the East Coast. The first schools to form the core of the Big East were Providence, St. John's, Georgetown, and Syracuse. They invited other schools like Seton Hall, Connecticut (UConn), Holy Cross, Rutgers, and Boston College (BC). Holy Cross said no, and Rutgers initially did too, but BC, Seton Hall, and UConn accepted.
Gavitt became the first leader of the Big East. Soon after, Villanova and Pittsburgh also joined. A company called Duffy & Shanley helped create the conference's name and brand. A very famous moment for the original Big East was in 1985, when three of its teams—Georgetown, St. John's, and Villanova—all made it to the Final Four in the NCAA basketball tournament. Villanova then beat Georgetown to win the national championship.
The conference stayed mostly the same until 1991, when it started to include football. They added Miami as a full member, and Rutgers, Temple, Virginia Tech, and West Virginia joined just for football. Rutgers and West Virginia became full members in 1995, and Virginia Tech did the same in 2000. Notre Dame also joined in 1995 but not for football. Temple's football team was asked to leave in 2004 because it wasn't competitive enough, but they rejoined in 2012 after improving their program.
The way the Big East was set up, with both football and non-football schools, caused some problems. Many schools left the Big East for other conferences between 2005 and 2014. This constant change showed the disagreements between the football and non-football schools, which eventually led to the conference splitting in 2013.
The Split and New Beginning
On December 15, 2012, the seven schools that didn't play top-level football in the Big East—DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, St. John's, Seton Hall, and Villanova—all voted to separate from the football-playing schools. These schools were called the "Catholic 7" because of their shared religious background. They wanted to go back to the original idea of the Big East: a strong conference focused on basketball, mainly in the Northeast. They also hoped for a better TV deal. This split happened when these non-football schools had enough votes to make the decision.
Talks continued in early 2013. In March, it was announced that the "Catholic 7" schools would leave the old conference on June 30, 2013. They would keep the Big East Conference name, logos, $10 million from the old conference's money, and the right to hold their Big East Men's Basketball Tournament at Madison Square Garden.
On March 20, 2013, at a press conference in New York City, Georgetown President John J. DeGioia announced that Butler University and Xavier University, along with Creighton University, would also join the new league. The new Big East also confirmed its headquarters in New York City. They signed a 12-year TV deal with Fox Sports and a 6-year deal with CBS. On June 26, 2013, Val Ackerman, who used to be the president of the WNBA, was hired as the first commissioner of the new Big East.
Associate Members for Field Hockey and Lacrosse
The schools that stayed in the old conference later became the American Athletic Conference (AAC). However, some AAC schools and former Big East schools continued to play lacrosse and field hockey with the new Big East Conference in 2013. These included Rutgers and Louisville, before they moved to other conferences in 2014–15.
UConn and Temple, both AAC members, also joined the new Big East for women's lacrosse and field hockey. Cincinnati joined for women's lacrosse, Denver for men's lacrosse, and Old Dominion for field hockey.
In 2015, two teams from the Southeastern Conference, Florida and Vanderbilt, joined the Big East as associate members for women's lacrosse. More changes happened in 2015–16. Liberty and Quinnipiac became associate members for field hockey in 2016. Denver, already in men's lacrosse, also moved its women's lacrosse team to the Big East for the 2017 season. Butler, a full member, also started a women's lacrosse team in 2017.
In 2019, the American Athletic Conference started its own women's lacrosse league. This meant most of the Big East's women's lacrosse associate members left, except for Denver. To keep enough teams for an automatic spot in the NCAA women's tournament, the Big East added Old Dominion as a women's lacrosse member in 2019.
UConn Comes Back to the Big East
In June 2019, news reports said that UConn would leave the AAC to "rejoin" the Big East. UConn was a founding member of the original Big East but stayed with the football schools when the conference became the AAC in 2013. By 2018, UConn's sports programs had seen a big drop in money. Both UConn and the new Big East had shown interest in reuniting since 2016.
On June 24, 2019, the Big East officially invited UConn to join. UConn's Board of Trustees accepted the invitation two days later. This brought UConn back together with many schools it competed against for 34 years in the old Big East. UConn and the AAC agreed on a deal the next month, allowing UConn to become a Big East member on July 1, 2020. UConn's football team became an independent team, meaning it didn't belong to a conference. UConn's men's and women's hockey teams remained part of the Hockey East Association. In 2020, Old Dominion's women's lacrosse team left the Big East for the AAC, essentially swapping places with UConn. This helped both conferences keep the six members needed for an automatic spot in the NCAA tournament.
Commissioners of the Big East
The role of the commissioner, who leads the conference, was created in 1979.
| Name | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dave Gavitt | 1979–1990 | Founder of the original Big East Conference. |
| Mike Tranghese | 1990–2009 | Retired in 2009. |
| John Marinatto | 2009–2012 | Resigned on May 7, 2012. |
| Joseph Bailey | 2012 | Interim leader after Marinatto left. |
| Michael Aresco | 2012–2013 | Later became the leader of the American Athletic Conference. |
| Val Ackerman | 2013–present | First commissioner of the newly formed Big East. |
Academics at Big East Schools
This table shows how Big East universities are ranked nationally by U.S. News & World Report as of 2023. It also shows if they are members of the Association of American Universities, a group of leading research universities.
| Institution | National University Rank | AAU Member |
|---|---|---|
| Georgetown University | 22 | No |
| University of Connecticut | 58 | No |
| Villanova University | 67 | No |
| Marquette University | 86 | No |
| Providence College | 120 | No |
| Creighton University | 124 | No |
| Seton Hall University | 151 | No |
| DePaul University | 151 | No |
| Butler University | 153 | No |
| St. John’s University | 163 | No |
| Xavier University | 201 | No |
Team Apparel Sponsors
This table shows which companies provide sports apparel for each Big East school.
| School | Provider |
|---|---|
| Butler | Nike |
| Connecticut | Nike |
| Creighton | Nike |
| DePaul | Nike |
| Georgetown | Nike |
| Marquette | Nike |
| Providence | Nike |
| St. John's | Adidas |
| Seton Hall | Under Armour |
| Villanova | Nike |
| Xavier | Nike |
Member Schools of the Big East
Full Members
Most of the 11 full members of the Big East are private Catholic schools. The only exceptions are Butler, which is a private non-religious school, and UConn, which is a public university.
| Institution | Location | Founded | Joined | Type | Enrollment | Endowment | Nickname | Colors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butler University | Indianapolis, Indiana | 1855 | 2013 | Private/Non-sectarian | 5,544 | $266,000,000 | Bulldogs | |
| University of Connecticut | Storrs, Connecticut | 1881 | 2020 | Public | 32,669 | $634,000,000 | Huskies | |
| Creighton University | Omaha, Nebraska | 1878 | 2013 | Private/Catholic (Jesuit) |
8,770 | $745,000,000 | Bluejays | |
| DePaul University | Chicago, Illinois | 1898 | 2013 | Private/Catholic (Vincentian) |
21,210 | $1,080,000,000 | Blue Demons | |
| Georgetown University | Washington, D.C. | 1789 | 2013 | Private/Catholic (Jesuit) |
20,023 | $3,638,443,000 | Hoyas | |
| Marquette University | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | 1881 | 2013 | Private/Catholic (Jesuit) |
11,550 | $997,000,000 | Golden Eagles | |
| Providence College | Providence, Rhode Island | 1917 | 2013 | Private/Catholic (Dominican) |
4,816 | $321,000,000 | Friars | |
| St. John's University | Queens, New York | 1870 | 2013 | Private/Catholic (Vincentian) |
19,691 | $1,660,000,000 | Red Storm | |
| Seton Hall University | South Orange, New Jersey | 1856 | 2013 | Private/Catholic (Archdiocese of Newark) |
9,815 | $308,400,000 | Pirates | |
| Villanova University | Villanova, Pennsylvania | 1842 | 2013 | Private/Catholic (Augustinian) |
10,942 | $1,310,000,000 | Wildcats | |
| Xavier University | Cincinnati, Ohio | 1831 | 2013 | Private/Catholic (Jesuit) |
6,129 | $225,400,000 | Musketeers |
Associate Members
These schools are not full members but join the Big East for specific sports.
| Institution | Location | Founded | Joined | Enrollment | Nickname | Colors | Big East sport(s) |
Primary conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Akron | Akron, Ohio | 1870 | 2023–24 | 12,521 | Zips | Men's soccer | MAC | |
| University of Denver | Denver, Colorado | 1864 | 2013–14 (men) 2016–17 (women) |
13,856 | Pioneers | Men's lacrosse, Women's lacrosse |
Summit | |
| Liberty University | Lynchburg, Virginia | 1971 | 2016–17 | 16,000 | Lady Flames | Field hockey | CUSA | |
| Old Dominion University | Norfolk, Virginia | 1930 | 2013–14 | 24,286 | Monarchs | Field hockey | Sun Belt | |
| Quinnipiac University | Hamden, Connecticut | 1929 | 2016–17 | 9,746 | Bobcats | Field hockey | MAAC | |
| Temple University | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | 1884 | 2013–14 | 37,365 | Owls | Field hockey | The American |
Former Associate Members
Some schools were associate members for a while but later left. This happened because the American Athletic Conference didn't have lacrosse or field hockey right after the Big East split. So, some schools from The American joined the new Big East for those sports.
| Institution | Location | Founded | Joined | Left | Enrollment | Nickname | Colors | Big East sport(s) |
Primary conference |
Current conference in former Big East sport(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Louisville | Louisville, Kentucky | 1798 | 2013–14 | 2013–14 | 23,246 | Cardinals | Field hockey, Women's lacrosse |
ACC | ||
| Rutgers University | New Brunswick, New Jersey | 1766 | 2013–14 | 2013–14 | 50,411 | Scarlet Knights | Field hockey, Men's lacrosse, Women's lacrosse |
Big Ten | ||
| University of Cincinnati | Cincinnati, Ohio | 1819 | 2013–14 | 2017–18 | 46,798 | Bearcats | Women's lacrosse | Big 12 | ||
| University of Florida | Gainesville, Florida | 1853 | 2014–15 | 2017–18 | 57,841 | Gators | Women's lacrosse | SEC | Big 12 | |
| Temple University | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | 1884 | 2013–14 | 2017–18 | 37,365 | Owls | Women's lacrosse | The American | ||
| Vanderbilt University | Nashville, Tennessee | 1873 | 2014–15 | 2017–18 | 13,537 | Commodores | Women's lacrosse | SEC | The American | |
| University of Connecticut | Storrs, Connecticut | 1881 | 2013–14f.h. 2018–19w.lax. |
2019–20f.h. 2019–20w.lax. |
32,669 | Huskies | Field hockey, Women's lacrosse |
Big East | ||
| Old Dominion University | Norfolk, Virginia | 1930 | 2018–19 | 2019–20 | 24,286 | Monarchs | Women's lacrosse | Sun Belt | The American | |
Membership Timeline
This timeline shows how the Big East membership has changed over the years.
Full members (non-football) Assoc. member (Other sports) Other Conference
Men's Sports in the Big East
This table shows which men's sports each Big East school plays.
| School | Baseball | Basketball | Cross Country |
Golf | Lacrosse | Soccer | Swimming & Diving |
Tennis | Track & Field (Indoor) |
Track & Field (Outdoor) |
Total Big East Sports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butler | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8 |
| Creighton | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | 6 |
| DePaul | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7 |
| Georgetown | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 10 |
| Marquette | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8 |
| Providence | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | 7 |
| St. John's | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | 6 |
| Seton Hall | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | 6 |
| UConn | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | 6 |
| Villanova | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 10 |
| Xavier | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9 |
| Totals | 8 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 5+1 | 11+1 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 83+2 |
Some Big East schools also play other men's sports that are not sponsored by the Big East Conference.
| School | Fencing | Football | Ice Hockey | Rowing | Sailing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butler | No | Pioneer | No | No | No |
| Georgetown | No | Patriot | No | EARC | MAISA |
| Providence | No | No | Hockey East | No | No |
| St. John's | Independent | No | No | No | No |
| UConn | No | FBS Independent | Hockey East | No | No |
| Villanova | No | CAA Football | No | No | No |
Men's Basketball
The Big East is known as one of the top basketball conferences. The Big East Men's Basketball Tournament is very important in college basketball. It has been played at Madison Square Garden in New York City since 1983, which is the longest time any conference tournament has been held at one location.
Since the conference restarted in 2013, Big East schools have done very well. Villanova won the national championship in 2016. In the 2016–17 season, seven out of ten Big East teams made it to the NCAA Tournament, which was a record for the highest percentage of teams from one conference. As of the 2023-24 season, Big East schools have earned 50 NCAA Tournament bids, made it to the Final Four five times, and won four national championships.
Recent Big East Men's Basketball Champions and NCAA Bids
| Key | |
|---|---|
| Bold | Won National Championship |
| Year | Regular Season Champion |
Tournament Champion |
NCAA Tournament Bids |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019–20 | Creighton, Seton Hall, Villanova | Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | |
| 2020–21 | Villanova | Georgetown | Creighton, Villanova, UConn, Georgetown |
| 2021–22 | Providence | Villanova | Villanova, Providence, UConn, Seton Hall, Creighton, Marquette |
| 2022–23 | Marquette | Marquette | Marquette, Xavier, UConn, Creighton, Providence |
| 2023–24 | UConn | UConn | UConn, Marquette, Creighton |
| 2024–25 | St. John's | St. John's | St. John's, Marquette, UConn, Creighton, Xavier |
NCAA Men's Basketball National Championships
| School | NCAA Champion | Years | NCAA Runner-up | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UConn | 6 | 1999, 2004, 2011, 2014, 2023, 2024 | 0 | |
| Villanova | 3 | 1985, 2016, 2018 | 1 | 1971 |
| Georgetown | 1 | 1984 | 3 | 1943, 1982, 1985 |
| Marquette | 1 | 1977 | 1 | 1974 |
| Butler | 0 | 2 | 2010, 2011 | |
| Seton Hall | 0 | 1 | 1989 | |
| St. John's | 0 | 1 | 1952 | |
| Total | 11 | 9 |
Men's Soccer
All full Big East member schools have men's soccer teams. Akron joined as an associate member in 2023.
Recent Big East Men's Soccer Champions
| Year | Regular Season | Tournament | NCAA Bids |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Georgetown | Georgetown | Butler, Georgetown, Providence, St. John's |
| 2021 (spring) | Georgetown | Seton Hall | Georgetown, Marquette, Seton Hall |
| 2021 (fall) | Georgetown | Georgetown | Creighton, Georgetown, Providence, St. John's, Villanova |
| 2022 | Georgetown | Creighton | Creighton, Georgetown, Seton Hall |
| 2023 | Georgetown | Xavier | Georgetown, Xavier |
| 2024 | Akron | Georgetown | Akron, Georgetown, Providence |
NCAA Men's Soccer National Championships
| School | NCAA Champion | Years | NCAA Runner-up | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UConn | 2 | 1981, 2000 | 0 | N/A |
| Georgetown | 1 | 2019 | 1 | 2012 |
| St. John's | 1 | 1996 | 1 | 2003 |
| Creighton | 0 | N/A | 1 | 2000 |
Men's Lacrosse
Big East men's lacrosse includes Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, St. John's, and Villanova, plus Denver. The NCAA requires six teams for a league to get an automatic spot in the NCAA tournament. Since some Big East schools don't have varsity lacrosse, Denver was invited to join just for lacrosse. Denver was a strong team, having made it to the NCAA Tournament many times and reaching the Final Four.
Recent Big East Men's Lacrosse Champions
| Year | Regular Season | Tournament | NCAA Bids |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Denver | Georgetown | Georgetown, Denver |
| 2020 | Season canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | ||
| 2021 | Denver | Georgetown | Denver, Georgetown |
| 2022 | Georgetown | Georgetown | Georgetown |
| 2023 | Georgetown | Georgetown | Georgetown |
| 2024 | Denver | Georgetown | Denver, Georgetown |
| 2025 | Georgetown and Villanova |
Georgetown | Georgetown |
NCAA Men's Lacrosse National Championships
| School | NCAA Champion | Years | NCAA Runner-up | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | 1 | 2015 | 0 | N/A |
Men's Baseball
Big East schools Butler, Creighton, Georgetown, Seton Hall, St. John's, UConn, Villanova, and Xavier all have men's baseball teams.
Recent Big East Men's Baseball Champions
| Year | Regular Season | Tournament | NCAA Bids | Tournament Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Season canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | |||
| 2021 | UConn | UConn | UConn | Prasco Park (Mason, OH) |
| 2022 | UConn | UConn | UConn | |
| 2023 | UConn | Xavier | Xavier, UConn | |
| 2024 | UConn | St. John's | St. John's, UConn | |
| 2025 | Creighton and UConn |
Creighton | Creighton | |
Men's Swimming and Diving
Big East men's swimming & diving teams include Georgetown, Providence, Seton Hall, Villanova, and Xavier. UConn used to have a team but cut it in July 2021.
Recent Big East Men's Swimming & Diving Champions
| Year | Tournament Champion | Tournament Runner-up |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Xavier | Georgetown |
| 2021 | Xavier | Villanova |
| 2022 | Georgetown | Xavier |
| 2023 | Georgetown | Xavier |
| 2024 | Georgetown | Xavier |
| 2025 | Georgetown | Seton Hall |
Men's Cross Country
The Villanova men's cross country team won four NCAA National Championships in 1966, 1967, 1968, and 1970. Providence also finished second in 1981 and 1982.
Recent Big East Men's Cross Country Champions
| Year | Big East Champion | NCAA Championship Team Entries |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Villanova | None |
| 2021 (spring) | Butler | None |
| 2021 (fall) | Butler | Butler, Villanova |
| 2022 | Butler | Butler, Georgetown |
| 2023 | Butler | Butler, Georgetown, Villanova |
| 2024 | Villanova |
NCAA Men's Cross Country National Championships
| School | NCAA Champion | Years | NCAA Runner-up | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Villanova | 4 | 1966, 1967, 1968, 1970 | 2 | 1962, 1969 |
| Providence | 0 | N/A | 2 | 1981, 1982 |
Men's Tennis
Recent Big East Men's Tennis Champions
| Year | Champion | Series | Runner Up | Tournament Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | |||
| 2021 | DePaul (1) | 4–3 | St. John's (2) | Cayce Tennis and Fitness Center (Cayce, SC) |
| 2022 | DePaul (2) | 4–2 | St. John's (1) | |
| 2023 | St. John's (2) | 4–0 | Butler (4) | |
| 2024 | DePaul (2) | 4–2 | St. John's (1) | |
| 2025 | St. John's (1) | 4–0 | Creighton (2) | |
Women's Sports in the Big East
This table shows which women's sports each Big East school plays.
| School | Basketball | Cross Country |
Field Hockey |
Golf | Lacrosse | Soccer | Softball | Swimming & Diving |
Tennis | Track & Field (Indoor) |
Track & Field (Outdoor) |
Volleyball | Total Big East Sports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butler | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 11 |
| Creighton | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | 7 |
| DePaul | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8 |
| Georgetown | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 12 |
| Marquette | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8 |
| Providence | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 10 |
| St. John's | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9 |
| Seton Hall | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | 8 |
| UConn | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 11 |
| Villanova | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 11 |
| Xavier | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 10 |
| Totals | 11 | 11 | 4+4 | 6 | 6+1 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 105+5 |
Some Big East schools also play other women's sports that are not sponsored by the Big East Conference.
| School | Fencing | Ice Hockey | Rowing | Sailing | Water polo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Creighton | No | No | WCC | No | No |
| Georgetown | No | No | EAWRC & Patriot | MAISA | No |
| Providence | No | Hockey East | No | No | No |
| St. John's | Independent | No | No | No | No |
| UConn | No | Hockey East | CAA | No | No |
| Villanova | No | No | CAA | No | MAAC |
Women's Basketball
Recent Big East Women's Basketball Champions
| Year | Regular Season Champion | Tournament Champion | NCAA Tournament Bids |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019–20 | DePaul | DePaul | NCAA Tournament canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2020–21 | UConn | UConn | UConn, Marquette |
| 2021–22 | UConn | UConn | UConn, Creighton, Villanova, DePaul |
| 2022–23 | UConn | UConn | UConn, Villanova, Creighton, Marquette, St. John's |
| 2023–24 | UConn | UConn | UConn, Creighton, Marquette |
| 2024–25 | UConn | UConn | UConn, Creighton |
Women's Field Hockey
The Big East started sponsoring field hockey in 1989. After the conference split in 2013, the new Big East became the main conference for field hockey for both the Big East and the American Athletic Conference schools.
Recent Big East Women's Field Hockey Champions
| Year | Regular Season Champion | Tournament Champion | NCAA Tournament Bids |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | UConn | UConn | UConn |
| 2021 (spring) | UConn | UConn | UConn |
| 2021 (fall) | Liberty | Liberty | Liberty |
| 2022 | Liberty | Liberty | Liberty |
| 2023 | Liberty | Old Dominion | Liberty, Old Dominion |
| 2024 | UConn | UConn | UConn |
NCAA Women's Field Hockey National Championships
| School | NCAA Champion | Years | NCAA Runner-up | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UConn | 3 | 2013, 2014, 2017 | 0 | N/A |
| Liberty | 0 | N/A | 1 | 2021 |
Women's Soccer
Recent Big East Women's Soccer Champions
| Year | Regular Season Champion | Tournament Champion | NCAA Tournament Bids |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Xavier | Xavier | Georgetown, Xavier |
| 2021 (spring) | Georgetown (East & overall) Butler (Midwest) |
Georgetown | Georgetown |
| 2021 (fall) | Xavier | Georgetown | Georgetown, St. John's, Xavier, Butler |
| 2022 | Georgetown | Georgetown | Georgetown, Xavier |
| 2023 | Georgetown, Xavier | Georgetown | Georgetown, Providence, Xavier |
| 2024 | Georgetown | UConn | Georgetown, UConn |
Women's Softball
Nine Big East members have softball teams. The original Big East started sponsoring softball in 1990.
Recent Big East Women's Softball Champions
| Year | Regular Season Champion | Tournament Champion | NCAA Tournament Bids |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Season canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | ||
| 2021 | DePaul | Villanova | Villanova |
| 2022 | UConn | Villanova | Villanova |
| 2023 | UConn | Seton Hall | Seton Hall |
| 2024 | Villanova | Villanova | Creighton |
| 2025 | St. John's | UConn | UConn |
Women's Swimming and Diving
Big East women's swimming & diving teams include Butler, Georgetown, Providence, Seton Hall, UConn, Villanova, and Xavier. Villanova has won 17 Big East Conference Women's Swimming & Diving Championships, including a streak of 12 in a row.
Recent Big East Women's Swimming & Diving Champions
| Year | Tournament Champion | Tournament Runner-up |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Villanova | Georgetown |
| 2021 | Villanova | UConn |
| 2022 | Villanova | UConn |
| 2023 | Villanova | UConn |
| 2024 | Villanova | UConn |
| 2025 | Villanova | UConn |
Women's Volleyball
All full members of the Big East have women's volleyball teams. Providence joined Big East volleyball in 2014.
Recent Big East Women's Volleyball Champions
| Year | Regular Season | Tournament | NCAA Bids |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Creighton | St. John's | Creighton, Marquette, St. John's |
| 2021 (spring) | Creighton (Midwest & overall) St. John's (East) |
Creighton | Creighton |
| 2021 (fall) | Creighton, Marquette | Creighton | Creighton, Marquette |
| 2022 | Creighton, Marquette | Creighton | Creighton, Marquette |
| 2023 | Creighton, Marquette | Creighton | Creighton, Marquette |
| 2024 | Creighton | Creighton | Creighton, Marquette |
Women's Cross Country
The Providence women's cross country team won NCAA National Championships in 1995 and 2013. The Villanova women's cross country team won two straight NCAA National Championships in 2009 and 2010, and six straight from 1989 to 1994. The Georgetown women's cross country team were NCAA National Champions in 2011.
Recent Big East Women's Cross Country Champions
| Year | Big East Champion | NCAA Championship Team Entries |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Butler | None |
| 2021 (spring) | Georgetown | None |
| 2021 (fall) | Georgetown | Butler, Georgetown, Providence, Villanova |
| 2022 | Georgetown | Butler, Georgetown, Providence, Villanova |
| 2023 | Georgetown | Georgetown, Providence |
| 2024 | Georgetown |
NCAA Women's Cross Country National Championships
| School | NCAA Champion | Years | NCAA Runner-up | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Villanova | 9 | 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1998, 2009, 2010 | 1 | 1996 |
| Providence | 2 | 1995, 2013 | 2 | 1990, 2012 |
| Georgetown | 1 | 2011 | 0 | N/A |
Women's Lacrosse
The Big East started sponsoring women's lacrosse in 2001. After the 2013 conference split, the new Big East became the main conference for women's lacrosse for both Big East and American Athletic Conference schools. In 2017, Butler added a women's lacrosse team, and Denver brought its women's lacrosse team into the league. In 2020, Old Dominion's women's lacrosse team joined the American Athletic Conference, and UConn's women's lacrosse team joined the Big East. Xavier added women's lacrosse in 2023.
Recent Big East Women's Lacrosse Champions
| Year | Regular Season | Tournament | NCAA Bids |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Season canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | ||
| 2021 | Denver | Denver | UConn, Denver |
| 2022 | Denver | Denver | UConn, Denver |
| 2023 | Denver | Denver | Denver, Marquette, UConn |
| 2024 | Denver | Denver | Denver |
| 2025 | Denver | Denver | UConn, Denver |
NCAA Team Championships Won by Big East Members
This list includes national championships won by Big East members in NCAA sports.
| School | Nickname | Total | Men | Women | Co-ed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UConn | Huskies | 24 | 8 | 16 | 0 |
| Villanova | Wildcats | 21 | 11 | 9 | 0 |
| Georgetown | Hoyas | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Providence | Friars | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| St. John's | Red Storm | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Denver | Pioneers | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Marquette | Golden Eagles | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Butler | Bulldogs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Creighton | Bluejays | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DePaul | Blue Demons | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seton Hall | Pirates | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Xavier | Musketeers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Sports Facilities
This table shows the main sports venues for Big East schools.
| School | Basketball arena(s) | Capacity | Soccer stadium | Capacity | Baseball park | Capacity | Softball park | Capacity | Lacrosse stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butler | Hinkle Fieldhouse | 9,100 | Sellick Bowl | 7,500 | Bulldog Park | 500 | Butler Softball Field | 500 | Varsity Field | N/A |
| Creighton | M: CHI Health Center Omaha W: D. J. Sokol Arena |
18,320 2,950 |
Morrison Stadium | 6,000 | TD Ameritrade Park Omaha | 24,505 | Creighton Sports Complex | 1,000 | Non-lacrosse school | |
| DePaul | M&W: Wintrust Arena W: McGrath–Phillips Arena |
10,387 3,000 |
Wish Field | 1,000 | Non-baseball school | Cacciatore Stadium | 1,000 | |||
| Georgetown | M: Capital One Arena W: McDonough Gymnasium |
20,035 2,500 |
Shaw Field | 1,625 | Capital One Park | 650 | Nats Academy | 200 | Cooper Field | 3,750 |
| Marquette | M: Fiserv Forum W: Al McGuire Center |
18,850 4,000 |
Valley Fields | 1,600 | Non-baseball school | Non-softball school | Time Warner Cable Stadium Hart Park Stadium Valley Fields |
7,000 5,500 1600 |
||
| Providence | M: Amica Mutual Pavilion W: Alumni Hall |
12,400 1,854 |
Chapey Field at Anderson Stadium | 3,000 | Glay Field | 500 | Chapey Field at Anderson Stadium | 3,000 | ||
| Seton Hall | M: Prudential Center W: Walsh Gymnasium |
18,711 1,316 |
Owen T. Carroll Field | 261 | Owen T. Carroll Field | 261 | Essex County Mike Shepard, Sr. Field |
300 | Non-lacrosse school | |
| St. John's | M: Madison Square Garden M&W: Carnesecca Arena |
19,979 5,602 |
Belson Stadium | 2,168 | Jack Kaiser Stadium | 3,500 | Red Storm Field | 250 | DaSilva Memorial Field | 1,200 |
| UConn | Harry A. Gampel Pavilion PeoplesBank Arena |
10,299 15,564 |
Joseph J. Morrone Stadium | 5,100 | Elliot Ballpark | 1,500 | Connecticut Softball Stadium | 518 | George J. Sherman Family-Sports Complex | 2,000 |
| Villanova | M&W: Wells Fargo Center M&W: Finneran Pavilion |
20,328 6,500 |
Higgins Soccer Complex | 1,500 | Villanova Ballpark at Plymouth | 300 | Villanova Softball Complex | 250 | Villanova Stadium | 12,500 |
| Xavier | Cintas Center | 10,250 | Corcoran Field | 1,000 | J. Page Hayden Field | 500 | Non-softball school | Non-lacrosse school | ||
More Information
- Big East Conference (1979–2013)
- American Athletic Conference
- List of NCAA conferences
See also
In Spanish: Big East Conference para niños
