Amanda Knapp
The Big East Conference is one of the most well-known basketball conferences in the NCAA. Founded in 1979, the conference has a rich history of competitive basketball, with some of the most prestigious colleges in the country as its members. Over the years, the conference has undergone several changes, with schools joining and leaving, but it has always maintained a strong focus on basketball. With a highly successful basketball program and a reputation for producing talented players, the Big East Conference has often been considered one of the best basketball conferences in the NCAA. However, opinions vary, and some argue that other conferences, such as the ACC, may have had more success in recent years.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Founding Date | 1979 |
| Core Members | Providence, St. John's, Georgetown, Syracuse, Seton Hall, Connecticut (UConn), Boston College (BC) |
| Other Members | Villanova, Pittsburgh, DePaul, Marquette, Providence, St. John's, Seton Hall, Creighton University, Butler University, Xavier University |
| Performance | In the last 10 years, the ACC has 4 banners, the Big East has 3, the Big 12 has 2, and the SEC has 1 |
| Television Contract | 12-year, $500 million deal with Fox Sports; 6-year deal with CBS |
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What You'll Learn
The Big East's non-FBS schools
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletic conference competing in NCAA Division I in 10 men's and 12 women's sports. It was founded in 1979 by Providence College basketball coach Dave Gavitt, who wanted to create an east coast basketball-centric collegiate athletic conference.
The Big East Conference has gone through several iterations since its founding, with the original conference lasting from 1979 to 2013. In 2012, the Big East's seven non-FBS schools, DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, St. John's, Seton Hall, and Villanova, voted to separate from the football-playing schools. These schools, referred to as the "Catholic 7", wanted to return to Gavitt's original vision of a strong, Northeast-based, and basketball-focused conference. They also sought a better television deal than what they would have received by remaining with the football schools.
In 2013, the "Catholic 7" schools officially left the Big East Conference and retained the conference name, logos, and the right to hold their Big East Men's Basketball Tournament at Madison Square Garden. They were joined by Butler, Creighton, and Xavier, and the new conference was launched on July 1, 2013.
The non-FBS schools within the Big East have a strong basketball focus and have competed successfully in NCAA Division I sports. The conference has won national championships in men's basketball, women's cross country, field hockey, men's lacrosse, and men's soccer.
In 2019, the Big East invited the University of Connecticut (UConn) to rejoin the conference, which it did in 2020. UConn is the only member of the Big East with a varsity football team in the top-level Division I FBS. The other schools, including Butler, Georgetown, and Villanova, operate football programs in the second-level Division I FCS.
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The Big East's football-playing schools
The Big East Conference, founded in 1979, was initially a basketball-centric collegiate athletic conference. However, in 1991, the conference expanded to include football-playing schools, adding Miami as a full member and Rutgers, Temple, Virginia Tech, and West Virginia as football-only members. Over time, some schools changed their membership status, with Rutgers and West Virginia becoming full members in 1995, and Virginia Tech following suit in 2000. Notre Dame joined as a non-football member in 1995, maintaining its football independence.
The structure of the Big East, with "football" and "non-football" schools, led to instability within the conference. In 2012, the Big East's seven non-FBS schools, known as the "Catholic 7," voted to separate from the football-playing schools, seeking to return to the original vision of a strong, Northeast-based, and basketball-focused conference. This group included DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, St. John's, Seton Hall, and Villanova.
The remaining football-playing members, including those who had joined in 2005, joined forces with other schools to form the American Athletic Conference (AAC), which became the legal successor to the original Big East. UConn, a founding member of the original Big East, remained with the football-playing members during this transition but later faced a decline in athletic department revenues.
In 2019, UConn expressed interest in rejoining the new Big East, and this move was formally approved, reuniting UConn with schools they had competed within the old conference. UConn became the only member of the new Big East with a varsity football team in the top-level Division I FBS.
While the current iteration of the Big East does not sponsor football, the conference has a history as a football conference, and the sport has played a role in shaping its evolution and dynamics.
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The Catholic 7
The "Catholic 7" refers to seven non-FBS schools that were part of the original Big East Conference: DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, St. John's, Seton Hall, and Villanova. On December 15, 2012, these schools voted unanimously to separate from the Big East football-playing schools due to their common religious background and a desire to return to a basketball-focused conference.
The impact of the Catholic 7's departure extended beyond the Big East. It influenced Notre Dame's negotiations to leave the Big East and join the ACC, and it also affected the value of media rights deals, with ESPN retaining the Big East's media rights by matching NBC Sports Network's offer.
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The Big East's success in the NCAA tournament
The Big East Conference was founded in 1979 by Providence College basketball coach Dave Gavitt. The conference has enjoyed a rich history of success in the NCAA tournament, with the "high point" of the original conference considered to be the 1985 NCAA tournament. In that year, Georgetown, St. John's, and Villanova all made it to the Final Four, with Villanova ultimately defeating Georgetown to claim the national championship.
The Big East Conference has consistently produced competitive teams and talented players, with the conference well-represented in NCAA tournaments over the years. In 2009, the Connecticut Huskies and the Syracuse Orange played in a historic game, with Syracuse prevailing 127-117 in six overtimes, marking the second-longest game in NCAA history. In 2011, Connecticut, led by Kemba Walker, became the first and only team in the Big East tournament to win five consecutive games in five days to secure the championship.
The conference underwent a split in 2013, with the "Catholic 7" schools—DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, Seton Hall, St. John's, and Villanova—separating from the football-playing schools to form a new conference focused on basketball. This new conference retained the Big East name, logos, basketball records, and the rights to the prestigious Big East Men's Basketball Tournament at Madison Square Garden, which has been hosted there since 1983.
The Big East Conference has continued to thrive, with five teams representing the conference in the 2025 NCAA tournament. While the second round of that tournament saw disappointing losses for Big East teams, the conference remains a force to be reckoned with in college basketball.
The success of the Big East Conference in the NCAA tournament can be attributed to its strong basketball-centric culture, talented players and coaches, and the competitive spirit that has characterised the conference since its inception.
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The Big East's best teams
The Big East Conference is one of the most prestigious basketball conferences, with a strong history of successful teams and players. The conference was founded in 1979 by Providence College basketball coach Dave Gavitt, who wanted to create an east coast basketball-centric collegiate athletic conference. The original members of the Big East included Providence, St. John's, Georgetown, and Syracuse, who invited Seton Hall, Connecticut (UConn), Holy Cross, Rutgers, and Boston College (BC) to join them.
Over the years, the Big East has produced some of the top men's college basketball teams and players in the country. While it is difficult to definitively state which teams are the "best," several stand out for their achievements and impact on the conference. Here are some of the most notable teams that have contributed to the legacy of the Big East:
Villanova Wildcats: Villanova has had a long and successful history in the Big East. They joined the conference shortly after its formation and were part of its "high point" in 1985 when they won the NCAA championship, defeating Georgetown in the final. More recently, in 2016, they were described as being "so good" that they made the conference look stronger than it was.
Georgetown Hoyas: Georgetown is one of the founding members of the Big East and has been a consistent powerhouse in the conference. They reached the Final Four in 1985 along with Villanova and St. John's, showcasing the strength of the conference in its early years.
UConn Huskies: The University of Connecticut, commonly known as UConn, is another original member of the Big East. They have had a significant impact on the conference and rejoined in 2020 after a period in the American Athletic Conference (AAC). UConn is known for its strong basketball program and has been praised by fans for its success.
St. John's Red Storm: St. John's is also a founding member and was part of the Final Four run in 1985. They are often mentioned by fans as a team with a rich history and a strong following.
DePaul Blue Demons: While their success may have been before their time in the Big East, DePaul is remembered as a former power by fans of the conference. Their impact on the early days of the Big East should not be overlooked.
While the above teams stand out, other members of the Big East, past and present, have also contributed to its reputation as one of the top basketball conferences. The Big East has consistently produced competitive teams and talented players, making it a highly regarded and respected conference in college basketball.
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Frequently asked questions
It's debatable, but many believe that the Big East is one of the top basketball conferences. The Big East Conference includes notable basketball powerhouses such as Villanova, Georgetown, and UConn. The conference has produced several successful teams and players over the years, and its tournaments are considered to be highly competitive.
Some of the well-known teams in the Big East include Villanova, Georgetown, UConn, Syracuse, and Marquette. These teams have had their fair share of success and have contributed to the reputation of the conference.
The Big East Conference is often compared to other major conferences such as the ACC, Big 12, and SEC. While the ACC has had more championship banners in recent years, the Big East consistently produces strong teams that reach the final stages of tournaments. The level of competition within the Big East is generally recognized as being very high, contributing to its reputation as one of the top basketball conferences.
