LSU Women’s Basketball Team Claims Top Spot in Preseason Poll
LSU’s women’s basketball team has made history by securing the number one ranking in the preseason Associated Press (AP) college basketball poll. This is the first time that the defending champion LSU Tigers have claimed the top spot in the poll.
Led by star player Angel Reese, the Tigers captured their first NCAA title last April. With their impressive performance, LSU received 35 first-place votes out of a total of 36 from a national media panel. UConn, a perennial powerhouse in women’s college basketball, received the remaining top vote.
UConn’s ranking marks their 565th consecutive week in the AP poll, tying the record set by Tennessee. Iowa, the national runner-up, secured the third spot in the preseason poll, with Caitlin Clark leading their charge. UCLA and Utah rounded out the top five rankings.
LSU’s rise to the number one spot is a significant milestone for the program. While the team had previously been ranked second in 1977 and third in 2004 and 2005 in the preseason poll, they had never secured the top ranking until this year.
There is great optimism surrounding LSU’s prospects this season, as they boast a stellar group of players that includes Angel Reese. Additionally, the team has welcomed two talented transfers, Hailey Van Lith and Aneesah Morrow, to their roster.
Head coach Kim Mulkey expressed her appreciation for being recognized as the top-ranked team going into the season. However, she acknowledged that rankings alone do not win championships. Nevertheless, being ranked number one brings significant awareness to their program and school. The Tigers aim to earn the top ranking at the end of the season and win another championship for LSU.
This preseason poll also saw notable rankings for other teams. South Carolina, previously holding the number one spot for 38 consecutive weeks, now sits at number six. UConn’s impressive streak began in the preseason poll of the 1993-94 season and has continued for an astonishing 30 years. Maryland holds the second-longest active streak, appearing in the poll for 250 consecutive weeks and ranking at number 14.
UCLA and Utah, spending their final year in the Pac-12, secured spots in the top five. UCLA’s preseason top-five ranking is their first since 1999 when they were ranked at number five. Utah, absent from the preseason poll since 2005, returns with a strong team led by Pac-12 player of the year Alissa Pili.
Noteworthy appearances in the preseason poll include Ohio State, Virginia Tech, Indiana, and Notre Dame, rounding out the top 10. This is the first time that Virginia Tech has cracked the preseason top 10 after their impressive Final Four run last season.
Other teams making a comeback to the preseason rankings include Ole Miss, Illinois, USC, and Colorado. Ole Miss returns to the poll after a 28-year absence since 1995, securing the 12th spot. Illinois breaks a 24-year hiatus since 1999, ranking at number 23. Similarly, USC returns for the first time since 2011, and Colorado gains early recognition after an eight-year hiatus since 2013.
While some programs have experienced shifts in their preseason rankings, it is clear that LSU’s rise to the number one spot has captured attention and demonstrates the team’s strength going into the upcoming college basketball season. With star players and talented transfers bolstering their roster, the Tigers are poised to make another run for the championship. LSU’s ascendancy to the top ranking brings excitement and anticipation for fans and sets the stage for an exhilarating season of women’s college basketball.
