COLLEGE STATION- Texas A&M's women's basketball team was ranked No. 5 in the 2014-15 USA Today Sports Coaches' Preseason Poll, the program's highest preseason ranking in history. The Aggies are fifth in both major preseason polls (AP & Coaches) to start the season.
The top five of both polls were identical with defending national champion Connecticut, who defeated Texas A&M in the Elite Eight in 2013-14, as the top team. South Carolina, who Texas A&M beat 67-65 in overtime in 2014, was ranked second, followed by Notre Dame and SEC foe Tennessee, then Texas A&M.
The Aggies open the season at DePaul, who is 18th in both polls, a rematch of a 2014 Sweet 16 game. The Nov. 14 game is broadcast on the Big East Digital Network, and tips at 6:30 p.m.
Seven teams who the Aggies play a total of eight times are ranked in the initial coaches' poll. In addition to DePaul, the Aggies play at No. 2 South Carolina (Jan. 26/ESPN2), at No. 4 Tennessee (Jan. 8/SEC Network), host No. 7 Duke (Nov. 30/SEC Network), at No. 10 Kentucky (Feb. 19/SEC Network Plus), at a neutral site against No. 12 Texas (Dec. 21/SEC Network), and play No. 24 LSU home-and-away (Jan. 11 at A&M/ESPNU, Mar. 1 at LSU/ESPNU/ESPN2 flex)
Prior to this season, the Aggies' highest initial ranking in the coaches' poll was No. 6 in 2011-12, as defending national champions. The Aggies have been ranked in the preseason top 10 a total of four times, and have been ranked in the preseason poll each of the last eight years. The Aggies' highest ranking in the USA Today Coaches' Poll was No. 1 on April 5, 2011, immediately after winning the NCAA Championship.
Texas A&M returns 83% of its scoring from a team that reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament and went 27-9 in 2013-14. The Aggies open with an exhibition against Oklahoma City on Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. in Reed Arena. The Aggies' regular season home opener is Nov. 19 against Rice at 7 p.m.