November 08, 2006
The Texas A&M women?â„¢s basketball team tied its highest-ever national ranking with a spot at No. 14 in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 Poll released Wednesday.
The Aggies were also picked a school-best No. 14 in the USA TODAY/ESPN Coaches Top 25 Poll released on Nov. 1. Both preseason rankings rewrote A&M?â„¢s previous all-time high in the national polls. The Aggies were ranked No. 18 in the AP Poll during the regular season on Jan. 24, 1995.
It has been 12 years since the Aggies last appeared in the preseason AP Top 25 Poll. A&M was ranked No. 23 leading up to the 1994-95 season, after advancing all the way to the NCAA Sweet 16 the year prior.
Defending national champion Maryland (34-4) was the overwhelming choice as the No. 1 team in the land, receiving 47 of the 50 first-place votes from a national media panel. A&M was the second-highest Big 12 Conference school appearing in the poll behind third-ranked Oklahoma (31-5). League rivals Baylor (26-7) and Texas (13-15) rounded out the poll at No. 19 and No. 25 respectively.
Last season, the Aggies were ranked in the AP Poll for the final six weeks of the season after a 10-year absence. A&M posted a 23-9 overall record and finished No. 20 nationally in the final AP Poll. The Aggies also advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1996.
With the official start of the 2006-07 season just a few days away, the Aggies have enjoyed preseason billing by numerous media outlets including a No. 9 ranking by Street & Smith?â„¢s, No. 9 ranking by SI.com, No. 12 ranking by CSTV.com, No. 13 ranking by ESPN.com, No. 15 ranking by Lindy?â„¢s Basketball Annual and No. 24 ranking by Athlon Sports.
The nationally-ranked Aggies host 2006 NCAA Tournament participant Pepperdine in their season home opener on Friday, Nov. 10 at 6 p.m. at Reed Arena. Tickets can be purchased by calling 1-888-99-AGGIE or online at AggieAthletics.com.
2006-07 PRESEASON ASSOCIATED PRESS TOP 25 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. Purdue (26-7)
12. Rutgers (27-5)
13. Arizona State (25-7)
14. Texas A&M (23-9)
15. Kentucky (22-9)
16. Vanderbilt (21-11)
17. Michigan State (24-10)
18. New Mexico (22-10)
19. Baylor (26-7)
20. DePaul (27-7)
21. California (18-12)
22. USC (19-12)
23. UCLA (21-11)
24. Brigham Young (26-6)
25. Texas (13-15)