November 01, 2006
The ballots are in as the Texas A&M women?â„¢s basketball team has been ranked No. 14 in the preseason USA TODAY/ESPN Top 25 Coaches Poll for the first time in school history Wednesday.
This marks the first official 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. Both the USA TODAY/ESPN Coaches Poll and AP Polls will be released weekly throughout the 2006-07 season. The preseason AP Poll is scheduled to be released on Nov. 9.
Defending national champion Maryland (34-4) was picked as the nation?â„¢s No. 1 team. Last season, the Aggies posted their third-best overall record (23-9) en route to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1996. With all five returning starters back from last year?â„¢s squad, A&M was picked to finish a school-best second in the preseason Big 12 Conference Coaches Poll. They are led by junior All-American candidate Morenike Atunrase (5-10, G/F) who was selected as an All-Big 12 First Team performer a year ago.
In addition, A&M is one of only four schools along with Ohio State, Tennessee and LSU, with its football and men?â„¢s and women?â„¢s basketball programs all currently ranked in the USA TODAY Coaches Top 25 Polls.
The USA TODAY/ESPN Board of Coaches is made up of 31 head coaches at Division I women?â„¢s basketball institutions including four coaches (American, Missouri, Pepperdine and Western Illinois) hailing from schools the Aggies will face during the 2006-07 season. The voting board includes Pittsburgh?â„¢s Agnus Berenato, Minnesota?â„¢s Pam Borton, San Diego State?â„¢s Beth Burns, LSU?â„¢s Pokey Chatman, Florida A&M?â„¢s Debra Clark, Prairie View?â„¢s Cynthia Cooper-Dyke, Butler?â„¢s Beth Couture, Western Kentucky?â„¢s Mary Taylor Cowles, Western Illinois?â„¢ Leslie Crane, Evansville?â„¢s Tricia Cullop, Marist?â„¢s Brian Giorgis, Western Carolina?â„¢s Kellie Harper, Long Beach State?â„¢s Mary Hegarty, American?â„¢s Melissa McFerrin, Xavier?â„¢s Kevin McGuff, Delaware?â„¢s Tina Martin, Bowling Green?â„¢s Curt Miller, Sacramento State?â„¢s Dan Muscatell, Columbia?â„¢s Paul Nixon, St. Francis?â„¢ (Pa.) Jill Poe, Radford?â„¢s Jeri Porter, Gardner-Webb?â„¢s Rick Reeves, Stephen F. Austin?â„¢s Lee Ann Riley, Hartford?â„¢s Jennifer Rizzotti, SMU?â„¢s Rhonda Rompola, Pepperdine?â„¢s Julie Rousseau, Eastern Illinois?â„¢ Brady Sallee, Missouri?â„¢s Cindy Stein, Oregon State?â„¢s LaVonda Wagner, Fresno State?â„¢s Adrian Wiggins and North Carolina State?â„¢s Kay Yow.
The preseason nationally-ranked Aggie women open exhibition play on Friday, Nov. 3 against Athletes In Action at 6 p.m. in Reed Arena. Tickets can be purchased by calling 1-888-99-AGGIE or online at AggieAthletics.com.
2006-07 PRESEASON USA TODAY/ESPN TOP 25 COACHES POLL
1. Maryland (34-4)
2. North Carolina (33-2)
3. Oklahoma (31-5)
4. Stanford (26-8)
5. Tennessee (31-5)
6. Duke (31-4)
7. Ohio State (29-3)
8. Connecticut (32-5)
9. Georgia (23-9)
10. LSU (31-4)
11. Rutgers (27-5)
12. Arizona State (25-7)
13. Purdue (26-7)
14. Texas A&M (23-9)
15. Vanderbilt (21-11)
16. Kentucky (22-9)
17. Michigan State (24-10)
18. Baylor (26-7)
19. DePaul (27-7)
20. New Mexico (22-10)
21. California (18-12)
22. USC (19-12)
23. UCLA (21-11)
24. Brigham Young (26-6)
25. Washington (19-11)