Kentucky Women’s Basketball Ranks No. 20 in Preseason USA Today Coaches Poll
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky women’s basketball team is ranked 20th in the Preseason USA Today Women’s Basketball Coaches Poll, it was announced by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association on Thursday.
The Wildcats will begin their season in just 11 days, playing host to Morehead State on Monday, Nov. 3 at 6:30 p.m. ET in Historic Memorial Coliseum. To celebrate the season opener and its 12 school records snapped last season, the program will be giving out vinyl record magnets at the entrance, while supplies last.
There are fewer than 25 reserved season tickets remaining and a limited number of general-admission season tickets available for purchase. Season tickets offer a considerable discount as opposed to single-game tickets, while season-ticket holders also will have priority access to postseason events if the Kentucky Wildcats were selected as a host site. Fans interested in season tickets can still place a $0 deposit through their UK Athletics Account.
Big Blue Nation also can purchase single-game tickets for the entire season, while fans also can view the nonconference game promotional lineup here.
Kentucky was tabbed as the 24th team in the nation in the Preseason Associated Press Poll that came out last week. It also was picked to finish eighth and seventh in the league, respectively, in the Southeastern Conference media and coaches polls.
Last season, UK was picked to finish eighth in the league by both the media and the coaches and it wound up finishing in fourth place thanks to a 23-8 overall record and a 11-5 SEC mark.
Recently, Clara Strack, reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Year and All-SEC Second Teamer, was selected to the Preseason All-SEC Second Team, voted on by both media and coaches, while Teonni Key was picked to the Preseason All-SEC Second Team by just the coaches.
Kentucky returns 46.7 percent of its scoring and 70.9 percent of its rebounding in just the frontcourt alone from last season to this season.
The Triplets –Strack, Key and Amelia Hassett – also were a force to be reckoned with on defense, helping the team finish first in the nation in blocks last season (7.0). That trio, who are all returning as upperclassmen, ranked second in the SEC and ninth in the nation in defensive rebounding last season (29.5). UK also ended the regular season as the only team in NCAA Division I to have three players averaging at least 8.0 rebounds per game (Strack – 9.7, Key – 8.1, Hassett – 8.0).
Strack and Key also were double-digit scorers for the Cats last season.
Brooks also bolstered the returners with three all-conference guards, and a fourth all-conference guard coming off injury, and a McDonald’s All-American wing in Kaelyn Carroll.
Kentucky found success with a veteran running point last season, so it added another for 2025-26.
Tonie Morgan, a 5-9 point guard, played the last three seasons at Georgia Tech, appearing in 96 games and making 95 starts. She combined for 1,261 points, 543 rebounds, 468 assists and 116 steals, along the way becoming a three-time, all-conference team talent. Her 4.9 career apg were ranked 12th among active DI players at the conclusion of last season, while she was one of three non-seniors in that top 12.
Morgan, who was projected as the ninth pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft by Women’s Hoops Masterclass, is coming off her junior season, where she averaged 13.7 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 5.6 apg and 1.0 spg and shot 48.9% from the field.
Josie Gilvin, a senior from Louisville, Kentucky, transferred from Western Kentucky, where she was recently named to the 2025 All-CUSA Second Team and 2025 All-CUSA Defensive Team. Also, Asia Bone, a junior transfer from Liberty, is a 2025 CUSA All-Tournament Team and 2025 All-CUSA Second Team selection and previously was named the 2024 CUSA Freshman of the Year.
For more information on the Kentucky women’s basketball team, visit UKathletics.com or follow @KentuckyWBB on X, Instagram, and Facebook.
