Nov. 2, 2010
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The Texas A&M women's basketball team will start the 2010-11 season ranked No. 8 in the USA Today/ESPN Preseason Coaches' Poll that was released on Tuesday.
The No. 8 ranking comes days after the Aggies were also tabbed eighth in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll.
In its highest-ever preseason ranking in both polls, A&M returns three starters and 12 letterwinners from a 2009-10 squad that went 26-8 and captured its third Big 12 Championship. The Aggies were selected to the coaches' preseason poll for the fifth straight season.
Two-time defending national champion Connecticut claimed the top spot with 27 first-place votes followed by Baylor and Stanford who tied for second, No. 4 Tennessee and No. 5 Duke. The Huskies had 27 first-place votes while Baylor drew two and Stanford and Tennessee each received one.
Xavier finished sixth, Ohio State was voted seventh and Oklahoma and Kentucky rounded out the preseason top 10.
Joining the Aggies, Bears and Sooners in the preseason poll from the Big 12 were No. 17 Iowa State, No. 20 Texas and No. 23 Nebraska.
Texas A&M plays an exhibition game on Sunday, Nov. 7 at 2 p.m. at Reed Arena against Texas A&M-Kingsville and hosts its Maroon and White game at noon on Saturday, Nov. 13. The Aggies open the regular season on Tuesday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m. versus UALR.
Season tickets and single-game non-conference tickets are available now through the Athletic Ticket Center, and can be purchased by calling 888-99-AGGIE or by logging on to 12thmanfoundation.com.
2010 USA TODAY/ESPN PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
1. Connecticut (27)
2. Baylor (2)
2. Stanford (1)
4. Tennessee (1)
5. Duke
6. Xavier
7. Ohio State
8. Texas A&M
9. Oklahoma
10. Kentucky
11. West Virginia
12. Notre Dame
13. Georgetown
14. Florida State
15. UCLA
16. St. John's
17. Iowa State
18. North Carolina
19. Georgia
20. Texas
21. Vanderbilt
22. Gonzaga
23. Nebraska
24. Michigan State
25. Iowa