Arizona's new-look women's basketball team is 19th in the Associated Press' preseason top-25 poll, released Tuesday.
The Wildcats advanced to the second round of last year's NCAA Tournament, then underwent a roster overhaul unlike any in program history.
Arizona added transfers Lauren Fields (Oklahoma State), Esmery Martinez (West Virginia) and Jade Loville (Arizona State) to the highest-rated freshman class in program history while jettisoning a half-dozen contributors. Forwards Cate Reese and Lauren Ware and guard Madi Conner are among those who return from last year's team.
Newcomer Loville was also named to the 2023 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award watch list. This award is given to the top shooting guard at the end of the season. The last Wildcat to win this award was Aari McDonald in 2020. Other Pac-12 players who made the list of 20 include UCLA's Charisma Osbourne and WSU's Charlisse Leger-Walker.Β
The Wildcats are one of just three Pac-12 teams to make the preseason poll. Stanford is No. 2 nationally, with Oregon ranked just behind the Wildcats at No. 20. Utah and UCLA received the most votes of any non-ranked team. The Pac-12's preseason poll will be released at media day next week.
Here's a look at Tuesday's AP poll results:
1. South Carolina
2. Stanford
3. Texas
4. Iowa
5. Tennessee
6. UConn
7. Louisville
8. Iowa State
9. Notre Dame
10. NC State
11. Indiana
12. North Carolina
13. Virginia Tech
14. Ohio State
15. Oklahoma
16. LSU
17. Maryland
18. Baylor
19. Arizona
20. Oregon
21. Creighton
22. Nebraska
23. South Dakota State
24. Princeton
25. Michigan
Others receiving votes: Utah 35, UCLA 26, Kansas 25, Villanova 25, DePaul 19, Georgia 17, Belmont 14, Miami 11, South Dakota 9, Mississippi 5, Kansas St 5, BYU 4, Gonzaga 3, Florida 3, South Florida 3, Arkansas 3, Alabama 2, UCF 2, Duke 2, Washington State 1.
Arizona opens its season Nov. 10 against NAU.
