Xavier University Athletics
Jack Nunge And Colby Jones Named Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team
10.18.22 | Men's Basketball
Musketeers picked to finished second by the league coaches.
NEW YORK --- The BIG EAST Conference announced today that Xavier has been picked by the league coaches to finish second behind Creighton in the 2022-23 men's basketball race. In addition, the coaches selected junior Colby Jones and graduate student Jack Nunge to the 2022-23 Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team. The announcements were made today at the annual Basketball Media Day at Madison Square Garden. Jones, Nunge, senior Adam Kunkel and head coach Sean Miller are all in attendance.
Nunge, who was named BIG EAST Conference Honorable Mention after last season and earned a spot on the NIT All-Tournament Team, led Xavier in scoring (13.4 ppg.), rebounding (7.4 rpg.) and blocks (1.4 bpg.) last season. Nunge has received plenty of other preseason recognition in addition to the 2022-23 Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team honors, including All-BIG EAST Team honors from Blue Ribbon Basketball Yearbook.
Jones, who was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2022 National Invitation Tournament, is Xavier's second-leading returning scorer (11.6 ppg.) and second-leading returning rebounder (7.3 rpg.). Jones has received plenty of other preseason recognition in addition to the 2022-23 Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team honors, including Honorable Mention All-American by Jon Rothstein for CollegeHoopsToday. He was named to the BIG EAST All-Freshman Team in 2021.
Miller is back for a second stint as the Musketeers' head coach and he welcomes back eight scholarship letterwinners, including three starters, from last's season's NIT Champions.
2022-23 Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Creighton (8) - 98
2. Xavier (2) - 86
3. Villanova (1) - 85
4. Connecticut - 77
5. Providence - 62
6. St. John's - 52
7. Seton Hall - 44
8. Butler - 36
9. Marquette - 32
10. Georgetown - 21
11. DePaul - 12
Ranked by points with first-place votes in parentheses.
2022-23 BIG EAST Preseason Honors
BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year
Adama Sanogo, Connecticut, F, Jr., 6-9, 245, Bamako, Mali
BIG EAST Preseason Freshman of the Year
Cam Whitmore, Villanova, F, Fr., 6-7, 232, Odenton, Md.
Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team
Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton, C, Jr., 7-1, 260, St. Louis, Mo.
Jared Bynum, Providence, G, Gr., 5-10, 180, Largo, Md.
Posh Alexander, St. John's, G, Jr., 6-0, 200, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Colby Jones, Xavier, G, Jr., 6-6, 207, Birmingham, Ala.
Jack Nunge, Xavier, F, Gr., 7-0, 245, Newburgh, Ind.
Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team^
Arthur Kaluma, Creighton, F, So., 6-7, 225, Glendale, Ariz.
Ryan Nembhard, Creighton, G, So., 6-0, 170, Aurora, Ont.
Kadary Richmond, Seton Hall, G, Jr., 6-6, 210, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Caleb Daniels, Villanova, G, Gr., 6-4, 210, New Orleans, La.
Eric Dixon, Villanova, F, R-Jr., 6-8, 255, Willow Grove, Pa.
Justin Moore, Villanova, G, Sr., 6-4, 215, Fort Washington, Md.
Preseason All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention
Chuck Harris, Butler, G, Jr., 6-2, 200, Ashburn, Va.
Baylor Scheierman, Creighton, F, Sr., 6-7, 205, Aurora, Neb.
Cam Whitmore, Villanova, F, Fr., 6-7, 232, Odenton, Md.
^Tie in the voting created an extra position on the Second Team.
Nunge, who was named BIG EAST Conference Honorable Mention after last season and earned a spot on the NIT All-Tournament Team, led Xavier in scoring (13.4 ppg.), rebounding (7.4 rpg.) and blocks (1.4 bpg.) last season. Nunge has received plenty of other preseason recognition in addition to the 2022-23 Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team honors, including All-BIG EAST Team honors from Blue Ribbon Basketball Yearbook.
Jones, who was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2022 National Invitation Tournament, is Xavier's second-leading returning scorer (11.6 ppg.) and second-leading returning rebounder (7.3 rpg.). Jones has received plenty of other preseason recognition in addition to the 2022-23 Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team honors, including Honorable Mention All-American by Jon Rothstein for CollegeHoopsToday. He was named to the BIG EAST All-Freshman Team in 2021.
Miller is back for a second stint as the Musketeers' head coach and he welcomes back eight scholarship letterwinners, including three starters, from last's season's NIT Champions.
2022-23 Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Creighton (8) - 98
2. Xavier (2) - 86
3. Villanova (1) - 85
4. Connecticut - 77
5. Providence - 62
6. St. John's - 52
7. Seton Hall - 44
8. Butler - 36
9. Marquette - 32
10. Georgetown - 21
11. DePaul - 12
Ranked by points with first-place votes in parentheses.
2022-23 BIG EAST Preseason Honors
BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year
Adama Sanogo, Connecticut, F, Jr., 6-9, 245, Bamako, Mali
BIG EAST Preseason Freshman of the Year
Cam Whitmore, Villanova, F, Fr., 6-7, 232, Odenton, Md.
Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team
Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton, C, Jr., 7-1, 260, St. Louis, Mo.
Jared Bynum, Providence, G, Gr., 5-10, 180, Largo, Md.
Posh Alexander, St. John's, G, Jr., 6-0, 200, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Colby Jones, Xavier, G, Jr., 6-6, 207, Birmingham, Ala.
Jack Nunge, Xavier, F, Gr., 7-0, 245, Newburgh, Ind.
Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team^
Arthur Kaluma, Creighton, F, So., 6-7, 225, Glendale, Ariz.
Ryan Nembhard, Creighton, G, So., 6-0, 170, Aurora, Ont.
Kadary Richmond, Seton Hall, G, Jr., 6-6, 210, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Caleb Daniels, Villanova, G, Gr., 6-4, 210, New Orleans, La.
Eric Dixon, Villanova, F, R-Jr., 6-8, 255, Willow Grove, Pa.
Justin Moore, Villanova, G, Sr., 6-4, 215, Fort Washington, Md.
Preseason All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention
Chuck Harris, Butler, G, Jr., 6-2, 200, Ashburn, Va.
Baylor Scheierman, Creighton, F, Sr., 6-7, 205, Aurora, Neb.
Cam Whitmore, Villanova, F, Fr., 6-7, 232, Odenton, Md.
^Tie in the voting created an extra position on the Second Team.
Players Mentioned
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