Braylon Mullins was one of five Huskies recognized with preseason All-Big East honors Tuesday morning, as the Greenfield, Indiana native was named the 2025-26 Preseason Big East Freshman of the Year. Mullins is the third-straight Husky to earn the honor, joining Stephon Castle in the 2023-24 and Liam McNeeley last season. Both Castle and McNeeley would go on to win Big East Freshman of the Year at the end of their respective seasons.
Mullins, who was named Indiana Mr. Basketball last season, shattered
his high school’s scoring record with over 2,100 points. He was also named a McDonald’s All-American and was ranked as the No. 12 player overall in the 2025 recruiting class. The 6-foot-5 Mullins figures to be a key part of UConn’s rotation this season and earned a starting spot in the Huskies exhibition win over Boston College, scoring 12 points.
UConn also had three players named to the Preseason All-Big East First Team. Alex Karaban, Solo Ball and Tarris Reed were three of seven players to receive First Team honors. The Huskies are the first team in the Big East to have three players on the preseason first team since Villanova did so ahead of the 2005-06 season. Ball and Karaban both were selected to the 2025 All-Big East second team at the conclusion of last season, while Reed was named the conference’s Sixth Man of the Year.
Silas Demary Jr. rounded out UConn’s preseason honors with placement on the All-Big East Preseason Second Team. Demary, a transfer from Georgia, averaged 11.5 points and 2.8 assists per game last season for the Bulldogs. Demary hasn’t seen action for the Huskies after missing the Boston College exhibition with an injury, but is expected to be the team’s starting point guard and may see the floor for the first in upcoming exhibition against Michigan State on Oct. 28.
