With a strong group of returning players from an NCAA tournament team and the addition of a highly-regarded recruiting class, UConn has potential to take another significant step forward this season.

Apparently, men's basketball top 25 voters agree.

For the first time in five years, the Huskies earned a spot in the Associated Press Top 25 preseason poll that was released on Monday, residing in 24th. They're one of two Big East teams that made the cut, with Villanova holding down the No. 4 spot.

Gonzaga sits at No. 1, earning 55 first-place votes, with UCLA (eight votes) second and Kansas at No. 3, followed by Villanova, Texas, Michigan, Purdue, Baylor, Duke and Kentucky in the top 10.

UConn hopes its stay in the top 25 is longer than in 2016 when it opened the season at No. 18 but suffered losses to Wagner and Northeastern to fall out of the rankings and never returned that season.

The Huskies didn't make another appearance in the AP rankings until last January. They stood at No. 25 on Jan. 11 and No. 23 on Jan. 18.

Their preseason ranking is another sign that the program is heading in the right direction under coach Dan Hurley who's entering his fourth season.

When asked before First Night on Friday about the importance of being ranked in the preseason poll, if it happened, Hurley responded: "It's important to me. I would like to see that. I would just love the benefits of the excitement that's created with that. It just does a lot for you in terms of the anticipation with the fans.

"Obviously, our biggest goal is to have a better year than we had last year, to be a better team and to play better at the end of the year than we played this past year."

UConn will play at least three teams in the preseason rankings, including No. 22 Auburn on Nov. 24 in the Battle 4 Atlantis, No. 23 St. Bonaventure on Dec. 11 in the Never Forget Tribute Classic in Newark, N.J., and Villanova twice in the Big East, Feb. 5 on the road and Feb. 22 at home.

The Bonnies are ranked for the first time since January 1971.

Big East teams will gather Tuesday at Madison Square Garden in New York for the conference's annual media day. Hurley will meet with the media along with three of his players — R.J. Cole, Tyrese Martin and Isaiah Whaley.

St. John's and Xavier were in the also receiving votes category in the AP preseason top 25.

The AP preseason Top 25 women's poll will be released on Tuesday, with UConn expected to land near the top. The Huskies also have their Big East media day on Tuesday following the men's press availability.

g.keefe@theday.com