St. John's University Athletics
Photo by: Mitchell Layton/BIG EAST Conference
St. John’s Takes Part in BIG EAST Media Day
10/1/2026 3:28:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Pitino and Jackson represent Red Storm at Midtown event
NEW YORK – Head Coach Rick Pitino and junior guard Ian Jackson represented the St. John's men's basketball program on Thursday at BIG EAST Media Day, held at the Marriott Marquis in the heart of Times Square.
Just over one month away from the start of the 2026-27 seasons, Pitino and Jackson spoke to assembled members of the local and national media, including each of the conference's television partners.
Peacock hosted a BIG EAST Media Day live show, which featured remarks from all 11 BIG EAST men's basketball coaches and new BIG EAST Commissioner Tim Brosnan.
Jackson was one of two Johnnies to earn Preseason First Team All-BIG EAST honors alongside teammate Tounde Yessoufou. Yessoufou, who set the program freshman scoring record last season at Baylor, was one of three unanimous selections alongside UConn's Braylon Mullins and Marquette's Nigel James Jr.
St. John's, the reigning back-to-back outright BIG EAST Regular Season and Tournament Champions, was predicted to finish second in a preseason vote of the league's coaches.
Entering its fourth season under the direction of college basketball winningest active head coach, St. John's will host three exhibition games, including two at Madison Square Garden, before opening the season in earnest on Nov. 2 against Monmouth. Tickets for the MSG exhibitions against Rutgers (Oct. 18) and Texas (Oct. 25) are on sale now. The Red Storm will also host a preseason game against Drexel on Oct. 14 at Carnesecca Arena.
2026-27 BIG EAST Men's Basketball Preseason Honors
Preseason Player of the Year
Silas Demary Jr., UConn, Sr., G, 6-4, 191, Raleigh, N.C.
Preseason Freshman of the Year
Colben Landrew, UConn, Fr., F, 6-6, 236, McComb, Miss.
PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST FIRST TEAM
Braylon Mullins, UConn, So., G, 6-6, 198, Greenfield, Ind. *
Nigel James Jr., Marquette, So., G, 6-0, 195, Huntington, N.Y. *
Ian Jackson, St. John's, Jr., G, 6-5, 200, Bronx, N.Y.
Tounde Yessoufou, St. John's, So. G, 6-5, 220, Cotondou, Benin *
Tyler Perkins, Villanova, Sr., G, 6-4, 212, Lorton, Va.
* unanimous selection
Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team
Na'jai Hines, UConn, F, So., 6-11, 278, Plainfield, N.J.
Royce Parham, Marquette, Jr., F, 6-9, 235, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Miles Byrd, Providence, Gr., G, 6-6, 200, Stockton, Calif.
Kwame Evans Jr., Villanova, Sr., F, 6-10, 220, Baltimore, Md.
Devin Royal, Villanova, Sr., F, 6-6, 230, Columbus, Ohio
Preseason All-BIG EAST Third Team
Oswin Erhunmwunse, Creighton, Jr., C, 6-10, 235, Benin City, Nigeria
Jackson McAndrew, Creighton, Jr., F, 6-10, 225, Wayzata, Minn.
Layden Blocker, DePaul, Sr., G, 6-2, 193, Little Rock, Ark.
Sananda Fru, Marquette, Sr., F, 6-11, 250, Berlin, Germany
Jovan Milicevic, Xavier, Jr., F, 6-10, 241, Toronto, Ontario
Mike Nwoko, Xavier, Sr., F, 6-10, 260, Toronto, Ontario
2026-27 BIG EAST Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
First place votes in parentheses
Just over one month away from the start of the 2026-27 seasons, Pitino and Jackson spoke to assembled members of the local and national media, including each of the conference's television partners.
Peacock hosted a BIG EAST Media Day live show, which featured remarks from all 11 BIG EAST men's basketball coaches and new BIG EAST Commissioner Tim Brosnan.
Jackson was one of two Johnnies to earn Preseason First Team All-BIG EAST honors alongside teammate Tounde Yessoufou. Yessoufou, who set the program freshman scoring record last season at Baylor, was one of three unanimous selections alongside UConn's Braylon Mullins and Marquette's Nigel James Jr.
St. John's, the reigning back-to-back outright BIG EAST Regular Season and Tournament Champions, was predicted to finish second in a preseason vote of the league's coaches.
Entering its fourth season under the direction of college basketball winningest active head coach, St. John's will host three exhibition games, including two at Madison Square Garden, before opening the season in earnest on Nov. 2 against Monmouth. Tickets for the MSG exhibitions against Rutgers (Oct. 18) and Texas (Oct. 25) are on sale now. The Red Storm will also host a preseason game against Drexel on Oct. 14 at Carnesecca Arena.
2026-27 BIG EAST Men's Basketball Preseason Honors
Preseason Player of the Year
Silas Demary Jr., UConn, Sr., G, 6-4, 191, Raleigh, N.C.
Preseason Freshman of the Year
Colben Landrew, UConn, Fr., F, 6-6, 236, McComb, Miss.
PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST FIRST TEAM
Braylon Mullins, UConn, So., G, 6-6, 198, Greenfield, Ind. *
Nigel James Jr., Marquette, So., G, 6-0, 195, Huntington, N.Y. *
Ian Jackson, St. John's, Jr., G, 6-5, 200, Bronx, N.Y.
Tounde Yessoufou, St. John's, So. G, 6-5, 220, Cotondou, Benin *
Tyler Perkins, Villanova, Sr., G, 6-4, 212, Lorton, Va.
* unanimous selection
Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team
Na'jai Hines, UConn, F, So., 6-11, 278, Plainfield, N.J.
Royce Parham, Marquette, Jr., F, 6-9, 235, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Miles Byrd, Providence, Gr., G, 6-6, 200, Stockton, Calif.
Kwame Evans Jr., Villanova, Sr., F, 6-10, 220, Baltimore, Md.
Devin Royal, Villanova, Sr., F, 6-6, 230, Columbus, Ohio
Preseason All-BIG EAST Third Team
Oswin Erhunmwunse, Creighton, Jr., C, 6-10, 235, Benin City, Nigeria
Jackson McAndrew, Creighton, Jr., F, 6-10, 225, Wayzata, Minn.
Layden Blocker, DePaul, Sr., G, 6-2, 193, Little Rock, Ark.
Sananda Fru, Marquette, Sr., F, 6-11, 250, Berlin, Germany
Jovan Milicevic, Xavier, Jr., F, 6-10, 241, Toronto, Ontario
Mike Nwoko, Xavier, Sr., F, 6-10, 260, Toronto, Ontario
2026-27 BIG EAST Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
| 1. | UConn (8) | 98 |
| 2. | St. John's (2) | 90 |
| 3. | Villanova | 91 |
| 4. | Marquette (1) | 73 |
| 5. | Providence | 59 |
| 6. | Xavier | 54 |
| 7. | Creighton | 47 |
| 8. | DePaul | 32 |
| 9. | Seton Hall | 31 |
| 10. | Georgetown | 27 |
| 11. | Butler | 13 |
First place votes in parentheses
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's BasketballThursday, October 01
Wednesday, June 24
Wednesday, June 24
Monday, May 18