CHAMPAIGN (WCIA) — For the first time since 1999, the Illinois women’s basketball team is ranked in the Associated Press Preseason Top 25 poll. The Illini check in at No. 23, just the fourth time in program history the team has appeared in the preseason poll.
The Illini are coming off a historic season, finishing 22-10 overall, qualifying for the NCAA tournament for the first time in two decades, all in head coach Shauna Green’s first season.
| RANK | TEAM | POINTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | LSU (35) | 899 |
| 2 | UConn (1) | 855 |
| 3 | Iowa | 780 |
| 4 | UCLA | 757 |
| 5 | Utah | 742 |
| 6 | South Carolina | 713 |
| 7 | Ohio State | 711 |
| 8 | Virginia Tech | 661 |
| 9 | Indiana | 625 |
| 10 | Notre Dame | 546 |
| 11 | Tennessee | 540 |
| 12 | Ole Miss | 450 |
| 13 | Texas | 428 |
| 14 | Maryland | 392 |
| 15 | Stanford | 389 |
| 16 | North Carolina | 375 |
| 17 | Louisville | 308 |
| 18 | Florida State | 292 |
| 19 | Baylor | 268 |
| 20 | Colorado | 257 |
| 21 | Southern California | 209 |
| 22 | Creighton | 123 |
| 23 | Illinois | 82 |
| 24 | Washington State | 61 |
| 25 | Mississippi State | 54 |
