September 06, 2006
For the first time in school history, the Texas A&M women?â„¢s basketball team has earned a spot among the nation?â„¢s elite heading into the 2006-07 season with a preseason top-25 ranking by Lindy?â„¢s Basketball Annual.
Selected No. 15 in the publication?â„¢s preseason poll, the Aggies return their starting five from last season?â„¢s 23-9 NCAA Tournament squad. A&M finished the year ranked No. 20 in the final Associated Press Top 25 Poll.
?This is a very exciting time for A&M basketball,? Texas A&M head coach Gary Blair said. ?We return all of our starters from a year ago and have a very good freshman class coming in. Season ticket numbers also went up and expectations are high for our program. We prepared to win last year and we expect to win this year.?
A&M was one of only two Big 12 Conference schools, including No. 6 Oklahoma, to be represented in the preseason poll by Lindy?â„¢s. All 25 schools advanced to the NCAA Tournament last season.
This marks the first preseason national ranking and highest national ranking ever for the women?â„¢s basketball program. Previously, A&M was ranked a school-best No. 18 in The Associated Press Poll during the regular season on Jan. 24, 1995.
Last year, the Aggies were ranked in the AP Top 25 Poll for the final six weeks of the season after a 10-year absence. It was their first appearance in the national polls since a No. 25 ranking on March 11, 1996.
2006-07 LINDY?â„¢S PRESEASON TOP 25 POLL
1. Maryland
2. North Carolina
3. Stanford
4. Connecticut
5. Tennessee
6. Oklahoma
7. Duke
8. Georgia
9. Rutgers
10. Ohio State
11. Purdue
12. LSU
13. Arizona State
14. Vanderbilt
15. Texas A&M
16. USC
17. New Mexico
18. Kentucky
19. BYU
20. Michigan State
21. Bowling Green
22. St. John?â„¢s
23. Louisiana Tech
24. Iowa
25. Cal