Tennessee has made its return to the AP Top 25, ranking at No. 19, which concludes the university’s longest absence in the 48-year history of the women’s basketball rankings.
The Lady Vols, currently boasting a record of 7-0, have not been seen in the rankings since November 27, 2023, marking a duration of 22 consecutive polls without inclusion. Since the inception of the rankings in 1976, Tennessee has secured a position in the Top 25 for 779 of the 870 total weeks, achieving an impressive rate of 89.5%.
The team is enjoying a perfect season thus far, utilizing a high-pressure playing style that allows for an influx of new players on the court. “The beauty of it is we earned it,” remarked first-year head coach Kim Caldwell in a phone interview. “Not because the name is Tennessee. We didn’t start (ranked).”
In the latest poll released on Monday, UCLA, UConn, and South Carolina held onto the top three spots. The Bruins garnered 24 first-place votes from the national media panel of 32 members. Last week, UCLA secured an 11-point victory against Washington in their only game. Washington received the remaining eight first-place votes after a dominant 85-52 win over Louisville in the Women’s Champions Classic.
Following the results, LSU and USC both advanced one spot after Texas, previously ranked No. 4, fell to Notre Dame with an 80-70 overtime defeat. Texas dropped to sixth place while Notre Dame climbed two positions to eighth. Maryland holds the seventh spot, with Duke and Oklahoma completing the top ten, and the Sooners moving up one position.
**Rise of the Spartans**
Michigan State achieved a notable jump, rising seven positions to No. 17, marking the Spartans’ best start in their history at 9-0. The team overwhelmed DePaul in their game last week and is set to face No. 21 Iowa on Sunday. This is the highest ranking for Michigan State since they were 15th in 2019, surpassing their previous best starts of 8-0 in both 2012-13 and 2020-21.
**Shuffling of Rankings**
Georgia Tech returned to the poll at No. 25 after an absence since February 28, 2022, achieving its best start since the 1977-78 season with a record of 9-0. The Yellow Jackets will host Louisiana-Monroe before traveling to play No. 14 North Carolina on Sunday. N.C. State also crept back into the rankings at No. 22, while Illinois, Alabama, and Louisville fell out. Louisville currently has four losses, all against ranked opponents including UCLA, UConn, Kentucky, and Oklahoma.
**Conference Overview**
The Big Ten features eight teams in the current poll, a slight decrease from the last update. The Southeastern Conference has seven teams represented, while the ACC and Big 12 have five and four teams, respectively. The Big East has one team in the rankings.
**Featured Matchup of the Week**
A highly anticipated game is set this Thursday as No. 2 UConn faces off against No. 8 Notre Dame. The matchup brings together two former Big East rivals, each with All-American talents: UConn’s Paige Bueckers and Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo. While the Huskies are at full strength, the Irish are still navigating through some injury challenges.
