November 28, 2006
The Texas A&M women?â„¢s basketball team (5-0) jumped up three spots to No. 10 in the latest USA TODAY/ESPN Coaches Top 25 Poll released Tuesday.
The A&M women also climbed up two spots in the latest Associated Press Top 25 Poll released Monday. The recent AP and Coaches Poll selections mark the highest-ever national ranking for the Aggies.
A&M is one of 33 NCAA Division I schools that remain undefeated on the season including No. 1 and defending national champion Maryland (7-0), No. 2 North Carolina (6-0), No. 3 Oklahoma (3-0), Nov. 4 Tennessee (5-0), No. 5 Duke (5-0), No. 6 Ohio State (5-0), No. 7 Connecticut (2-0), No. 8 Georgia (5-0), No. 9 Purdue (6-0), No. 14 Vanderbilt (6-0) and No. 19 Louisville (6-0).
Five of the top-10 ranked schools combine for 14 national championships since 1982 including Maryland (1), North Carolina (1), Tennessee (6), Connecticut (5) and Purdue (1).
The Big 12 Conference has two schools rounding out the top 10, while the Atlantic Coast Conference has three followed by the Southeastern (2), Big Ten (2) and Big East (1) Conferences.
The Aggies are one of four elite schools with their men?â„¢s and women?â„¢s basketball programs ranked among the top 10 teams in the country along with Ohio State, North Carolina and Duke. In addition, A&M is one of only three schools nationally with its football (No. 22/24) and men?â„¢s (No. 8/9) and women?â„¢s basketball (No. 10/10) programs ranked in both top 25 polls. The other two programs with the trifecta are Ohio State and LSU.
This marks the third school Texas A&M head coach Gary Blair has guided to an AP Top-10 ranking. A Blair-coached team last appeared in the AP Top 10 when Arkansas was ranked No. 10 in the nation on Jan. 6, 1997. Blair also led Stephen F. Austin to the AP Top 10.
The Aggies continue non-conference play with key matchups against perennial Pac-10 Conference powerhouses Arizona tonight and Washington on Dec. 6 in Seattle. Last year, UW lost in the NCAA Second Round to Final Four participant LSU. A&M will also play against 2006 Postseason WNIT participants in Rice on Dec. 1 in Houston and Western Illinois on Jan. 2 in College Station.
2006-07 ASSOCIATED PRESS TOP 25 POLL
1. Maryland (7-0)
2. North Carolina (6-0)
3. Oklahoma (3-0)
4. Tennessee (5-0)
5. Duke (5-0)
6. Ohio State (5-0)
7. Connecticut (2-0)
8. Georgia (5-0)
9. Purdue (6-0)
10. Texas A&M (5-0)
11. LSU (7-1)
12. Vanderbilt (6-0)
13. Baylor (5-1)
14. Arizona State (5-1)
15. Stanford (2-3)
16. California (4-1)
17. DePaul (3-1)
18. Rutgers (2-2)
19. Louisville (6-0)
20. Michigan State (4-1)
21. George Washington (5-1)
22. Texas (5-1)
23. BYU (3-2)
24. Kentucky (3-2)
25. Texas Tech (5-1)
2006-07 USA TODAY/ESPN COACHES TOP 25 POLL
1. Maryland (7-0)
2. North Carolina (6-0)
3. Oklahoma (3-0)
4. Tennessee (5-0)
5. Duke (5-0)
6. Ohio State (5-0)
7. Connecticut (2-0)
8. Georgia (5-0)
9. Purdue (6-0)
10. Texas A&M (5-0)
11. LSU (7-1)
12. Arizona State (5-1)
13. Baylor (5-1)
14. Vanderbilt (6-0)
15. Stanford (2-3)
16. California (4-1)
17. Rutgers (2-2)
18. Michigan State (4-1)
19. Louisville (6-0)
20. George Washington (5-1)
21. DePaul (3-1)
22. BYU (3-2)
23. Texas Tech (5-1)
24. Bowling Green (4-1)
25. Texas (5-1)