UK Hoops Ranked Top 20 in Both Major Preseason Polls
LEXINGTON, Ky. – After earning a school-record sixth-straight NCAA Tournament appearance last season, the University of Kentucky women’s basketball team is ranked No. 17 in the USA Today/Coaches Preseason Top 25 and No. 18 in the Associated Press Preseason Top 25, it was announced recently.
The preseason rankings mark the sixth consecutive season the Wildcats have been ranked inside the top 20 of both major polls to start the season. Kentucky landed at No. 11/16 in final rankings last season, marking the sixth-straight season UK has been inside the top 20 in the final rankings. UK has been ranked in each poll since week 13 of the 2009-10 season, the longest ranking streak in program history.
The Wildcats are scheduled to face several teams also ranked in both major polls, including No. 2/2 South Carolina (twice), No. 4/4 Tennessee, No. 8/8 Louisville, No. 12/14 Duke, No. 13/11 Mississippi State, No. 15/15 Arizona State and No. 16/13 Texas A&M. Kentucky is also scheduled to face LSU, Middle Tennessee, Arkansas, Vanderbilt and Missouri, who are all receiving votes in one of the two polls.
Kentucky will begin its 2015-16 season this Sunday with an exhibition game vs. Union University at 5 p.m. ET inside Memorial Coliseum. Admission to the game is free. The Wildcats begin regular-season play on Friday, Nov. 13 vs. Rice at 7 p.m. ET at home.
Season tickets and single-game tickets for the 2015-16 season are on sale now through Ticketmaster. Season tickets (including Rupp Arena games) are available for $65 online at UKathletics.com/tickets or by calling the UK Ticket Office at (859) 257-1818 or (800) 928-2287. Single-game reserved tickets are $9 for all ages, while adult general admission single-game tickets are $8. For those aged 6-18 or 65-and-over, general admission costs are $5 per ticket. Children age 5-and-under are admitted free in the general admission seating area, and UK students, faculty and staff are admitted free with valid identification.
For more information on the Kentucky women’s basketball team, follow @UKHoopCats on Twitter and Instagram, or like Kentucky Women’s Basketball on Facebook.
USA Today/Coaches Preseason Top 25
1. Connecticut (38-1)
2. South Carolina (34-3)
3. Notre Dame (36-3)
4. Tennessee (30-6)
5. Baylor (33-4)
6. Maryland (34-3)
7. Florida State (32-5)
8. Louisville (27-7)
9. Oregon State (27-5)
10. Ohio State (24-11)
11. Texas (24-11)
12. Duke (23-11)
13. Mississippi State (27-7)
14. Stanford (26-10)
15. Arizona State (29-6)
16. Texas A&M (23-10)
17. Kentucky (24-10)
18. Oklahoma (21-12)
19. South Florida (27-8)
20. North Carolina (26-9)
21. George Washington (29-4)
22. DePaul (27-8)
23. Iowa (26-8)
24. Northwestern (23-9)
25. Princeton (31-1)
Others receiving votes: Michigan State (16-15); Dayton (28-7); Florida Gulf Coast (31-3); Gonzaga (26-8); Rutgers (23-10); Syracuse (22-10); Chattanooga (29-4); St. John’s (23-11); California (24-10); UCLA (19-18); Iowa State (18-13); LSU (17-14); Miami (Fla.) (20-13); Nebraska (21-11); Seton Hall (28-6); Middle Tennessee (24-10); Washington (23-10); West Virginia (23-15); Arkansas-Little Rock (29-5); Villanova (22-14); Virginia (17-14); Albany (24-9); Arkansas State (24-11); Brigham Young (23-10); James Madison (29-4); Wisconsin-Green Bay (28-5).
Associated Press Preseason Top 25
1. UConn (38-1)
2. South Carolina (34-3)
3. Notre Dame (36-3)
4. Tennessee (30-6)
5. Baylor (33-4)
6. Ohio State (24-11)
7. Florida State (32-5)
8. Louisville (27-7)
9. Maryland (34-3)
10. Oregon State (27-5)
11. Mississippi State (27-7)
12. Texas (24-11)
13. Texas A&M (23-10)
14. Duke (23-11)
15. Arizona State (29-6)
16. Stanford (26-10)
17. Oklahoma (21-12)
18. Kentucky (24-10)
19. Northwestern (23-9)
20. South Florida (27-8)
21. George Washington (29-4)
22. North Carolina (26-9)
23. Syracuse (22-10)
24. Michigan State (16-15)
25. Chattanooga (29-4)
Others receiving votes: Princeton; DePaul; Florida Gulf Coast; Rutgers; Iowa; California; Dayton; Arkansas; Western Kentucky; Vanderbilt; Iowa State; UCLA; West Virginia; Missouri; Gonzaga; Miami.
