[2] The recipient of the award is announced at a press conference immediately preceding the Big East men's basketball tournament, at the same time as the Big East Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year and the Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards.
However, the coaches in the conference also award a Preseason Rookie of the Year to one or more players before the start of the NCAA basketball season.
One of the leagues, which initially included only schools that do not sponsor FBS football, retained the Big East name.
The other league, which was made up entirely of FBS football schools until non-football school Wichita State University joined in 2017, maintains the charter of the original Big East but now operates as the American Athletic Conference.
Only 13 of the 23 teams that have participated in Big East Conference men's basketball have had players win the Rookie of the Year award.