Pre-Season AP Top 25

[MilfordHusky]

UConn has been in the pre-season top-10 for 30 years in a row, meanwhile Stanford and Tennessee are unranked.

 

[Vowelguy]

ND above UCLA 1000%. The voters are on something for that one. LSU needs to be a bit lower, maybe 10-11.

I have OU ahead of LSU in the SEC. The sooners bombed out in the tourney so everyone forgets they had a good year AND they added Bears.

 

[The CDR-Ret]

I have OU ahead of LSU in the SEC. The sooners bombed out in the tourney so everyone forgets they had a good year AND they added Bears.

I believe in the right to arm Bears!!!

...and occasionally have a few Beers. Apparently, so do the Sooners...

 

[southie]

ND above UCLA 1000%. The voters are on something for that one. LSU needs to be a bit lower, maybe 10-11.

What do you base that on? UCLA probably has the deepest frontcourt in the country. Seems like ND won't be 100% healthy to start the season.

2024-25 Women's Basketball Roster - UCLA

The official 2024-25 Women's Basketball Roster for the UCLA Bruins

uclabruins.com

 

[maple]

For now I agree with SCar at #1 and UConn at #2.

Not so sure about the rest. A lot of question marks for some of these teams IMHO.

 

[Cuango]

I think voters nailed the top 10, though South Carolina deserves to be unanimous #1.

Iowa should be top 25, even without Clark. They still have Stuehlke, Affolter, and Ol n.

Well, I‘m not so sure about whether they should be ranked right now, but I do believe they will be ranked at some point this season. (Assuming of course, that the new coach, the longtime key assistant to Lisa Bluder doesn’t let the side down) If Lucy Olson can develop a good chemistry with Hannah Stuelke and the rest of the team, they should certainly be OK on the offensive side. I’m not sure who all is in their rookie class but one player in particular imo, (Ava Heiden) is going to be a star. Perhaps not right away, but I do think she will be a force in the post for them. Stuelke and Olson will be a force to be reckoned with, so if the rest of the team can help on the offensive side, they will be fine. The defensive side is where my concern would be. If they can just be decent defensively, they will be fine.

 

[Cuango]

They absolutely should have been unanimous #1, but it doesn't really matter.

Not sure why they should be unanimous! They did lose their big stud center and now are facing the possible loss of her heir apparent in Watkins as well. I just don’t see them as some unbeatable juggernaut, which is my criteria for a unanimous pick. Should they be #1? Sure, they are defending champions and even if they do lose Watkins (either temporarily or more) they still have a formidable roster!

 

[LwrcasefaN]

I hate to say it, but I think that UConn at #2 is a bit high. Except for Paige, KK, and Shade, there are a lot of unknown (coming back from injuries) and unproven (new players). I would put them on the top 5, but not #2. Not that the pre-season ranking matters much.

As far as ranking, at this point, early in the season, I would agree, but due to possible chemistry (lot of shooters who like the same spots on the floor) and not player(s) being unknown or unproven. Kaitlyn Chen is a proven problem. Strong may be new, and I rarely get excited about freshman, but I'm all in here with confidence. I'm watching two players this year to solidify a one or two ranking come March...Azzi Fudd and Jana El Alfy.

 

[yhun89]

What do you base that on? UCLA probably has the deepest frontcourt in the country. Seems like ND won't be 100% healthy to start the season.

2024-25 Women's Basketball Roster - UCLA

The official 2024-25 Women's Basketball Roster for the UCLA Bruins

uclabruins.com

Coaching. Close doesn’t seem to know X and O unlike Ivey.

Horrible misuse of Betts/guard play lost them the game vs LSU. Coaching mishap cost them the OSU game and the PAC 12 title. Close has had 2 years worth of a roster that under any other coach, like Dawn, Geno, Ivey, Vic, etc would’ve gotten to a Final four. She hasn’t even made an Elite 8.