Nov. 1, 2011
LEXINGTON, Ky. – For the first time in school history, the University of Kentucky women’s basketball team is ranked in back-to-back preseason USA TODAY/ESPN coaches’ polls. The Wildcats were picked to start the 2011-12 season at No. 15 by the 31-member Board of Coaches.
UK returns 10 letter winners and four starters from a team that went 25-9 overall last season, including a school-record tying 11 Southeastern Conference victories. The Wildcats advanced to their second-straight NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 1981-82 and 1982-83 seasons. Last season, UK was picked No. 10 in the preseason coaches’ poll, the Cats’ highest preseason ranking in school history.
Baylor was ranked No. 1, followed by Notre Dame, Tennessee, UConn and Stanford, respectively. UK was one of four SEC schools ranked in the top 25, along with Tennessee (No. 3), Georgia (No. 12) and LSU (No. 22). Other Kentucky opponents in the coaches’ poll are Notre Dame (No. 2), Duke (8) and Louisville (9).
The Wildcats’ lone exhibition game of the season is free, and scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 6 against Coker College at 2 p.m. ET. Coker College is coached by former Wildcat Jenny Pfeiffer (2003-04, 2006-07). The season opener is Friday, Nov. 11 at Morehead State at 7 p.m. ET while the home opener is Tuesday, Nov. 15 vs. Jacksonville State at 11 a.m. ET.
| Rank | School (2010-11 record) | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baylor (34-3) | 745 |
| 2 | Notre Dame (31-8) | 728 |
| 3 | Tennessee (34-3) | 686 |
| 4 | Connecticut (36-2) | 683 |
| 5 | Stanford (33-3) | 681 |
| 6 | Texas A&M (33-5) | 635 |
| 7 | Miami (Fla.) (28-5) | 557 |
| 8 | Duke (32-4) | 553 |
| 9 | Louisville (22-13) | 482 |
| 10 | Maryland (24-8) | 416 |
| 11 | Georgetown (24-11) | 415 |
| 12 | Georgia (23-11) | 376 |
| 13 | Florida State (24-8) | 332 |
| 14 | Penn State (25-10) | 320 |
| 15 | Kentucky (25-9) | 296 |
| 16 | Oklahoma (23-12) | 262 |
| 17 | Rutgers (20-13) | 245 |
| 18 | DePaul (29-7) | 182 |
| 19 | North Carolina (28-9) | 172 |
| 20 | Texas (19-14) | 161 |
| 21 | Purdue (21-12) | 149 |
| 22 | LSU (19-13) | 143 |
| 23 | Southern California (24-13) | 129 |
| 24 | Wisconsin-Green Bay (34-2) | 127 |
| 25 | Michigan State (27-6) | 88 |
Season tickets for UK’s entire 18-game home schedule are on sale now for $45, except lower-level chair back seating, which are $60 and sold out.
Single-game tickets may be purchased online or by calling the UK Ticket Office at (800) 928-2287 or (859) 257-1818. Tickets may be available in the reserved seating areas and in the general admission upper-level bleachers. Prices are as follows: $7 reserved seats (all ages), $7 adult general admission, $4 youth/senior general admission (18 and under, 65 and over). Children ages 5 and under are admitted free of charge in the general admission seating area.
Fans interested in season tickets can go to UKathletics.com, or call the UK ticket office at 1-800-928-CATS.
